WASHINGTON – In anticipation of the House vote on the “Cut, Cap, and Balance Act,” Senator Mike Lee released the following statement:

“After the House passes the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, as I expect them to do, the President will have to explain to the American people why he, Harry Reid, and Senate Democrats are blocking the increase in the debt ceiling they requested.  So far, we have heard that the President opposes immediate spending cuts and a constitutional amendment that requires the federal government to balance it budget, which puts him directly at odds with the majority of Americans. 

“Republicans have proposed a realistic compromise that gives the President what he has asked for in return for immediate spending cuts, reasonable deficit reduction over the next decade, and structural reforms that require Congress to balance its budget.  We currently have 39 co-sponsors in the Senate for this compromise, all Republicans.  It takes just a small number of Democrats and the President to do the right thing, protect the economy, and move past this stalemate.  After the House vote, it will be up to them.”