DeGette blasts Boehner’s ‘gamesmanship’ in walking out on debt-ceiling talks

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, sharply criticized House Speaker John Boehner today after he walked out on 11th-hour talks with the White House on raising the debt ceiling.

“I am deeply concerned that with so little time left before the U.S. begins to default on its obligations, Speaker Boehner has once again walked away from the negotiating table,” DeGette said in a prepared statement. “I’m certain at this point my colleagues agree that conflating the debt ceiling deadline with our other critical economic challenges is just too perilous.

“Therefore I call on the Republican leadership to join with Democrats in passing a bill to cleanly raise the debt ceiling as early as possible next week. The markets are too volatile and our economy too fragile to continue the sort of gamesmanship that has gotten us to the point where we stand on the verge of irrevocable economic crisis.”

DeGette is the chief deputy minority whip and Colorado’s senior member of Congress.

“It is time for Congress to do the responsible thing and raise the debt ceiling; after which we can work together to take bold action to fix the nation’s underlying economic problems,” DeGette added.

Republican members of Colorado’s congressional delegation meanwhile blasted the Senate’s failure to pass a House debt reduction bill viewed as largely symbolic.

Freshman Scott Tipton, a Republican representing much of the state’s Western Slope, issued this statement today about the Senate’s rejection of the House “Cut, Cap and Balance” plan:

“This goes to show the disconnect between Senate Democrats, the president, and the American people,” Tipton said. “The majority of Americans support the plan passed by the House this week to cut, cap and balance government spending, and yet, the Senate today chose to reject the plan while still failing to pass any plan of their own.

“We are approaching the zero hour and I remain fully committed and focused on working to solve our spending problem and reach a favorable outcome. It is my hope, that the president and Senate Democrats are equally focused on getting spending under control, and serious about reaching a solution soon.”