Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) issued the following statement tonight after his vote in favor of the House-passed debt reduction plan, known as the Budget Control Act of 2011.

“In January 2009, President Obama initiated the biggest spending binge in our nation’s history with his trillion dollar ‘stimulus’ package.  He sold it with the promise that more Washington spending would save us from the prospect of 8% unemployment.  Today, after suffering 27 months of nearly 9% unemployment, we are now on the verge of cutting nearly $2 trillion from our federal budget.  If this debt limit debate has accomplished one thing, it has changed the conversation in Washington.

“Today’s debt deal represents an absolute repudiation of President Obama’s tax and spend policies.  Throughout this debate, the President has pushed for a ‘clean’ debt limit increase, and then for tax increases to accompany any spending cuts.  He received none of these.  Instead, we’ve achieved spending cuts that exceed the debt limit increase – without raising taxes.  This plan is a meaningful first step towards fixing Washington’s spending addiction and putting us on a path towards a balanced budget.”

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