WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the United States approaches the federal debt limit for the second time in 2021 under a unified Democrat government, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement reiterating his strong opposition to lifting the debt limit. Senator Scott has been clear that he cannot support suspending the debt limit or raising it without structural spending reforms and allowing Congressional Democrats to drive up America’s crippling federal debt with even more reckless, inflation-fueling spending that’s hurting American families.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I’ve said it a million times this year, and I’ll say it a million more: It’s time for Democrats to own the debt crisis they created and lift the debt limit ALONE. I’ve never supported suspending or raising the debt limit. I voted against suspending it in 2019 and voted against raising it when Democrat incompetence brought our nation to the brink of default earlier this year. I’ll vote against lifting the debt limit again if I must. Republicans have been very clear on this from the beginning and I won’t back down. There’s no need to lift the debt ceiling if Congress lives within its means, stops the reckless spending and balances the budget.

“I want to thank Leader McConnell for his work to deal with a hostile actor in Chuck Schumer. We’ve seen that the Democrats don’t care about the dangerous debt they are creating, or the raging inflation crisis it’s pushing on American families struggling to afford higher and higher prices. The livelihoods of American families and businesses are on the line here. I hear it from families in Florida every week who are hurting and I think about my own family. When I was growing up, my mom struggled to put food on the table for us and often worked multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Those are the hardworking people we are fighting for. That’s why it’s so important that we stand united against the Democrats’ radical, socialist tax and spending spree and oppose lifting the debt limit to accommodate it.”

In April, the Senate Republican Conference unanimously adopted Senator Scott’s amendment to conference rules saying that Senate Republicans would not raise the debt ceiling without structural spending reforms. In August, Senator Scott joined Senator Ron Johnson, Leader Mitch McConnell and more than 40 of their Republican colleagues in a letter to the American people making it clear that because Democrats are responsible for the massive spending and debt growth, they alone need to take responsibility for lifting the debt limit.

Senator Scott has repeatedly opposed lifting the federal debt limit:

• September 23, 2021: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… Sen. Rick Scott in Orlando Sentinel: GOP Won’t Fuel Inflation Crisis by Raising Debt Limit
• September 22, 2021: Senators Rick Scott & Pat Toomey Lead Colleagues in Reintroducing Full Faith and Credit Act to Address Federal Debt Crisis
• July 30, 2021: Ahead of Debt Ceiling Suspension Expiration, Sen. Rick Scott and The Heritage Foundation Release Final Episode in ‘Road Trip on a Budget’ Video Series
• July 13, 2021: Sen. Rick Scott to Secretary Yellen: With Debt Limit Suspension Expiring, Americans Deserve Transparency on U.S. Debt Crisis
• February 16, 2021: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… Sen. Rick Scott in the Tampa Bay Times: America Can’t Keep Spending Without Consequence, We Must Address Our Debt Crisis Now
• February 11, 2021: Sen. Rick Scott to Colleagues: Inflation from Unsustainable Federal Debt Hurts American Families
• February 3, 2021: VIDEO RELEASE: Sen. Rick Scott: Congress Must Address Our National Debt and Rein in Spending
• January 26, 2021: Sen. Rick Scott: Congress Must Get Serious About America's  Debt
• August 1, 2019: Sen. Rick Scott: Debt will destroy our country, if we let it

###