Statement on Reinstatement of the Statutory Debt Limit

NEW YORK — Michael A. Peterson, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, commented today on the reinstatement of the statutory debt limit. In a separate report released today, the Peterson Foundation estimates that lawmakers will have to act to raise the debt limit by October or November of 2015 to avoid a technical default.
Peterson said,
“Lawmakers have the opportunity and responsibility to work together to ensure that we don’t return to the damaging pattern of government-by-crisis. As the economic recovery is finally taking hold, uncertainty, brinksmanship and self-inflicted crises are exactly what we don’t need. Our elected leaders should use this as an opportunity to work together over the coming months on a bipartisan plan that sets our nation on a sustainable long-term fiscal path. Doing so would not only strengthen the current recovery, but help build a foundation for future growth, opportunity and prosperity.”
In 2013, Macroeconomic Advisers published a study analyzing the economic effects of fiscal brinksmanship. The study found that the fiscal brinksmanship in 2010-2013 cost the economy 900,000 jobs, and that an actual default would have even more severe economic consequences.
Further Reading
Rising National Debt Increases Costs for American Families and Businesses
Federal fiscal policy is a significant but often overlooked factor in the affordability of vehicles, homes, and small business loans.
Payroll Taxes: What Are They and What Do They Fund?
Payroll taxes fund social insurance programs including Social Security and Medicare and are the second-largest source of revenues for the federal government.
Tax Reform Alone May Not Be Enough to Stabilize the National Debt
A new report from the Tax Foundation breaks down the drivers of the fiscal imbalance and concludes that tax increases alone cannot solve the problem.