Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts has criticized the recently-reached agreement on the debt limit, arguing the measure fails to help families in the midst of what he describes as rising inflation and interest rates.
“At a time when Americans are struggling to balance their budgets as the cost of gas, groceries, and childcare continue to rise, Republicans had a real chance to protect families and fight sky-high inflation and interest rates by cutting government spending,” Roberts said in a May 29 statement posted on the Heritage Foundation page.
Roberts noted that Republicans had a strong position going into negotiations with passage of the Limit, Save, Grow Act, which included spending cuts and pro-growth policies. However, he argues that more improvements to the deal could have been done and expressed disappointment over decisions made during closed-door negotiations.
"Most fiscally conservative and pro-growth policies contained in the House-passed Limit, Save, Grow Act were stripped out or diluted," Roberts said in the statement.
Roberts noted the deal, negotiated by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, will allow for increased federal spending levels and grant the Biden administration a blank check debt limit suspension for two years.
While acknowledging a few wins, including permitting reform and additional work requirements, Roberts argued he believed these victories are smaller in number than the impact such negotiations should have produced.
“Overall, this agreement would continue America’s trajectory toward economic destruction and expanded federal control,” Roberts said. “House Republicans must go back to the negotiating table and demand more concessions from the Biden administration.”
The Heritage Foundation has pledged its support to everyday Americans and to any Congress member willing to advocate for fundamental fiscal change in Washington.
According to its website, the Heritage Foundation is dedicated to promoting public policies based on free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense.
