News

President Clinton Needs to Sit Down with GOP Congress

Clinton Debt Ceiling Veto Immediately Impacts People with AIDS

November 15, 1995

(Washington, DC) – President Clinton's veto of a bill to raise the debt ceiling – the first step needed to approve a continuing resolution which will keep the government operating – hurts recipients of Ryan White CARE Act funds because disbursements of those funds has halted. "President Clinton is playing partisan politics at a moment when the Congress is trying to keep the government running so that disagreements over the budget negotiations won't affect those people who depend on government services, like Ryan White recipients," said Richard Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans. "The Republicans have maintained a steady commitment to Ryan White by passing it in both Houses and increasing its funding. Now it is President Clinton's turn to keep his word. Congress can't complete work on anything until the President ends the shutdown."

When President Clinton vetoed raising the debt ceiling, he in effect stopped the budget negotiation process. This first step was crucial to passing a continuing resolution, which would have allowed the government to remain fully operational during the budget reconciliation process. His veto has caused the government to shut down, thereby putting at high risk several million Americans who depend daily on government services. "The Democrats will have a hard time saying the Republican budget will put people on the streets, when a Democratic president's veto immediately hurts millions of Americans because they do not have access to the government's care." said Tafel.