Boehner: Shutdown not needed to tackle ‘moral threat’ from debt

Republicans in the House understand that Americans don’t want a government shutdown, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will say in a speech this evening.

Boehner will call the rising debt levels a “moral threat” to the U.S. that demands action on not only spending cuts, but also entitlement reforms.

{mosads}“We have a moral responsibility to address the problems we face. That means working together to cut spending and rein in government – NOT shutting it down,” Boehner will say Sunday evening in an address to the National Religious Broadcasters in Tennessee.

“This is very simple: Americans want the government to stay open, and they want it to spend less money,” the Speaker will say, according to excerpts released by his office. “We don’t need to shut down the government to accomplish that. We just need to do what the American people are asking of us.”

Boehner’s remarks come before lawmakers are set to return to Washington this week, facing a deadline on Friday, March 4 to continue funding the government, or face a government shutdown.

House Republicans have put forward a short-term measure funding government at reduced levels for an additional two weeks on Friday. Senate Democrats softened their rhetoric against that measure, suggesting that the GOP proposal could make its way through Congress.

That agreement would still leave unresolved for the meanwhile the question of funding government the rest of this year. House Republicans passed a long-term bill cutting spending $61 billion the rest of this fiscal year, but that faces a veto threat from President Obama.

Boehner also laid the groundwork for Republicans’ looming battle over next year’s budget, as well. The GOP is set to issue its budget in late March or early April, and Republicans have vowed to include in that entitlement reforms.

“Yes, this debt is a mortal threat to our country. It is also a moral threat. It is immoral to bind our children to as leeching and destructive a force as debt,” Boehner will say. “It is immoral to rob our children’s future and make them beholden to China. No society is worthy that treats its children so shabbily.”