DETROIT – Today, Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) and Betty McCollum (MN-04) held a regional press conference on their work to prevent a default on the debt that would cause devastating impacts on working families in Michigan, and protect the social safety net by stopping Republican’s cruel cuts to vital public programs.

Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that inflicts cruel cuts on working families. In Michigan alone, House Republicans’ extreme demands will:

• Put 464,000 people at risk of losing Medicaid coverage.
• Threaten access to food assistance for 34,000 people between the ages of 50-55.
• Eliminate preschool and child care for at least 9,700 children.
• Increase housing costs for at least 13,500 people.
• Make college more expensive for at least 165,300 students.
• Eliminate at least 4 air traffic control towers.
• Cut at least 120 rail safety inspection days.
• Repeal investments in clean energy — threatening at least 10,022 clean energy and manufacturing jobs announced in Michigan since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Reduce access to outpatient care at Veterans Affairs medical facilities by approximately 814,006 visits.

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

In Michigan’s 12th District, a default on our debt would:

• Eliminate about 6,700 jobs in our district alone. Nationwide, a default could eliminate more than 7 million jobs.
• Jeopardize Social Security payments for 102,000 families.
• Put health benefits at risk for 399,000 people who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Affairs health coverage.
• Increase lifetime mortgage costs for the typical homeowner in Michigan by $33,000.
• Raise the costs of a new car loan for the typical American by $800.
• Threaten the retirement savings of 98,200 people near retirement, eliminating $20,000 from the typical retirement portfolio.

WATCH: Tlaib and McCollum Working to Prevent Default, Stop Republicans’ Cruel Cuts [Passcode: M4H!Dj65]

“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 Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

“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 Congresswoman Betty McCollum.

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