But that’s not true, says Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan.
“Whatever deal is agreed to by the president and the Republican and Democratic wings in Congress could have a profound effect on you.
“I am particularly concerned that Republican attacks on safety net programs — Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare — will hurt those who have the least.
“1,500 people in the NMI receive Social Security. 1,500 people are insured by Medicare.
“Some 12,000 receive help from Medicaid each year.
“I understand the need to balance the federal budget. But the Republican strategy is to use the debt ceiling debate as leverage to cut basic programs that protect the most vulnerable.
“At the same time Republicans are refusing to plug the leaks in the tax code that provide huge tax breaks to oil companies and the wealthiest Americans. This is unacceptable.
“The debt limit was raised 17 times during Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
“Reagan represented the kind of responsible leadership that today’s Republicans seem to have forgotten,” Sablan said.
