SEIU’s Henry: Working people will remember that Congressional Republicans used default threat to undo progress and push extremist agenda

WASHINGTON, DC - Service Employees International Union International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement today after the passage of the bipartisan budget agreement that will prevent default and increase the debt limit by Congress.

“Working people across the country have been very clear about what investments are needed to keep our country on a path of progress after dealing with a deadly pandemic and corporate price-gouging. This agreement to stave off a government default shows that President Biden and Democrats in Congress are committed to protecting our core priorities in spite of the ridiculous threats of the Republican House majority.”

“While far from perfect, this deal is the best that could be secured from the Republican majority who are hell-bent on stripping our most vulnerable citizens of resources while letting the wealthiest get away without paying their fair share.”

“SEIU members and other working people are relieved that an agreement has been reached to prevent our government from defaulting for the first time in our nation’s history. However, we will remember how Speaker McCarthy and Congressional Republicans used the default threat to undo progress and push their extremist agenda. It should not have come to this when everyone knew that a default of any form would have had devastating consequences for every family in our country, regardless of what they look like and where they live. But with this crisis in our rearview mirror, we are revving up to charge ahead, backing leaders who put the needs of working people over the bottom lines of big corporations.”