WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) issued the following statement following his vote for the Fiscal Responsibility Act to avoid a national default:

“Tonight I voted to do the fiscally responsible thing for New Jerseyans, our nation, and the global economy. I voted to avoid a catastrophic default that would have punished hard-working families, devastated our small businesses, and cratered our economy. It also would have jeopardized our national security by giving a gift to the Chinese Communist Party and other adversaries who are consistently eager to portray themselves as dependable alternatives to the United States despite their predatory economic practices.

 

“However, the process that resulted in this deal and the legislation itself were far from perfect. Republicans used American families and businesses as leverage, threatening to send shockwaves through the economy, all to force through policies that will hurt communities across our nation. This bill included several harmful provisions that will strip access to food and SNAP benefits that so many Americans rely on and tie the Administration’s hand by forcing them to restart the collection of student loan payments. It also includes policies, which I joined my Democratic colleagues in attempting to defeat, that will undermine our critical environmental laws and limit the ability of local communities to have a say in federal projects in their backyard.

 

“While tonight we were able to avoid an economic disaster, we must never allow our Republican colleagues to once again hold the full faith and credit of the United States hostage to score cheap political points. We still have much work to do to ensure we deliver meaningful results that will improve the lives of American families, and I sincerely hope my colleagues across the aisle will join us in this important pursuit.”

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