FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 26, 2023
Media Contact: Aaron Pelo, apelo@miaflcio.org | 734.355.2741
Michigan AFL-CIO Tells Congressman John James to Put People Over Politics, Support Clean Debt Ceiling Raise
WARREN, Mich. – Today, the Michigan AFL-CIO delivered a letter to Congressman John James urging him to do the right thing for Michigan workers and their families by voting to raise the debt ceiling without devastating cuts to critical federal programs.
“Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans have offered only two options,” said Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron BIEBER. “They are demanding either devastating cuts that would hurt working families while benefiting corporate billionaires, or else defaulting on our debt, erasing millions of jobs and triggering a recession. Republicans aren’t just gambling with the full faith and credit of the United States, they are holding working Michiganders, veterans, and students hostage. Enough is enough. It’s time for Congressman John James and the rest of Michigan’s Republican delegation to put people over politics by supporting a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling. Anything less is a slap in the face to their constituents that will cause catastrophic harm to the people of this state.”
Last week, Speaker McCarthy introduced hyper-partisan Republican debt ceiling legislation that would raise the debt limit but cuts federal programs and services, blocks student debt relief, adds unnecessary work requirements to Medicaid and SNAP, rescinds COVID aid, and repeals parts of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Earlier this week, Fitch Ratings, one of the “big three” credit rating agencies, put the United State’s AAA bond rating on watch for a downgrade as House Republicans continue to push the U.S. towards default.
The Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan’s largest labor organization, is a federation representing forty different labor organizations, eighteen different central labor councils, and eight constituency groups representing over 1 million union members and their families.
From left: Spencer Calhoun and Benjamin Orjada, Michigan AFL-CIO Organizing Specialists, deliver our letter to Congressman James’ office.
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