St. Paul Reporter

U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum (MN-04) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) are working to prevent a default on the debt that would cause devastating impacts on working families in Minnesota while protecting vital investments that lower costs and create better paying jobs.

Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that inflicts cruel cuts on American families. In Minnesota alone, House Republicans' extreme demands will:

• Put 153,000 people at risk of losing Medicaid coverage in Minnesota.
• Threaten access to food assistance for 6,000 people aged 50-55 in Minnesota.
• Eliminate preschool and child care for at least 4,200 children in Minnesota.
• Increase housing costs for at least 8,900 people in Minnesota.
• Make college more expensive for at least 109,200 students in Minnesota.
• Eliminate at least 2 air traffic control towers in Minnesota.
• Cut at least 160 rail safety inspection days in Minnesota.
• Repeal investments in cleaner, cheaper energy — threatening at least 914 clean energy and manufacturing jobs announced in Minnesota since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Reduce access to outpatient care at Veterans Affairs medical facilities by approximately 556,421 visits in Minnesota.

If they don’t get their way, House Republicans are threatening to default on our nation's bills, unleashing economic catastrophe and putting vital government services at risk.

A default on our debt would:

• Kill about 7,300 jobs in MN-04 alone. Nationwide, a default could kill more than 7 million jobs.
• Jeopardize Social Security payments for 79,000 families in MN-04.
• Put health benefits at risk for 256,000 people in MN-04 who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Affairs health coverage.
• Increase lifetime mortgage costs for the typical homeowner in Minnesota by $51,000.
• Raise the costs of a new car loan for the typical American by $800.
• Threaten the retirement savings of 87,000 people near retirement in MN-04, eliminating $20,000 from the typical retirement portfolio.

House Democrats have a better plan. We have already reduced the deficit by historic levels while investing in America to lower costs for health care, prescription drugs and clean energy while creating better paying jobs by rebuilding our infrastructure and bringing clean drinking water and high-speed internet to more communities. We are laser focused on protecting these vital investments instead of inflicting cruel cuts or a devastating default.

WATCH: McCollum, Tlaib Hold Presser on Working To Invest In America, Prevent Cuts That Hurt Working Families

“We have always paid America’s bills on time—but with the Default on America Act, House Republicans are willing to risk the full faith and credit of the United States. Threatening to default on our existing debt obligations as a bargaining chip is fiscally irresponsible. Democrats are ready to act now to prevent a default, continue our historic deficit reduction, and responsibly invest in America to lower costs and create better-paying jobs. It’s time for extreme Republicans to stop the political games and join us to protect our economy and Americans’ financial security” said Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04).

“Speaker McCarthy and his fellow far-right Republicans are threatening to wreck our economy by refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless they can force cruel cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP that will devastate our families, especially children and seniors. The lives and livelihoods of the American people are not bargaining chips. We will not allow MAGA Republicans to bargain cuts to vital public programs that our residents rely on. We need a clean debt ceiling increase” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).

Original source can be found here