Media Center

Representative Scott DesJarlais (TN-04) issued the following statement after Standard and Poor’s announced they had lowered the United States long-term credit rating to AA+.         

“The decision by S&P to downgrade our rating is a direct result of Washington's years of addiction to irresponsible government spending.

"Since arriving to Congress, I've been pleased to be part of an ongoing effort by House Republicans to put our nation back on a fiscally sustainable path. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats and President Obama have blocked many of these efforts to enact common sense spending reductions and reforms.

"Clearly, borrowing money is not the path to economic prosperity. Nowhere is this more apparent than in President Obama's failed stimulus package that only succeeded in creating additional job-destroying economic uncertainty by adding another trillion dollars to our debt.

"Additionally, this downgrade shows us that the real threat to our economy is our $14 trillion debt; not the debt-limit.

"Today's downgrade by the S&P makes it clear the philosophy of borrowing and spending is no longer an option. Fortunately, the Republican-led house has changed the conversation from how much can we spend to how much we can cut.

"It is time that Congressional Democrats and President Obama join us in making bold spending decisions and abandon their efforts to maintain the status-quo. I will continue to fight for meaningful spending cuts and reforms that will end deficits and pay down our debt."