Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (Republican from Oklahoma) criticized the national media for their hysterical coverage on the debt ceiling. He told his fellow Republicans that the GOP would insist upon significant spending cuts before agreeing with raising the government’s borrowing limit.

In a letter to more than 160 members, he stated that “for weeks, the media covered the debate around the debt limit with an irrational surprise and horror.” He wrote the letter in response to the House Republicans’ conservative caucus, the RSC. “Democrats and their pundit comrades have portrayed Republican efforts to combine budget reforms with legislation increasing debt limit as recklessly irresponsible.”

Hern stated, “Despite the obvious and immediate danger our country faces due to its unsustainable debt, a weak economy, and historical inflation, the media want to hide the truth for the American people – we, as a nation, must reduce spending and bring about serious fiscal reform.”

On Thursday, the U.S. reached the debt ceiling. This means that the government can no longer borrow more than the $31.381 trillion it borrowed so far. House Republicans said that they would need to make drastic spending cuts in order to raise the ceiling. However, the Biden administration said it won’t negotiate.

Democrats claim that anything but raising the ceiling would pose a risk to creditworthiness for the U.S. government. This line has been picked up many times by the media.

Republicans countered by saying that there is still time to reach a deal that would allow for a higher debt ceiling and less spending. The Treasury Department said it could hold off for several months until an increase is necessary, and Kevin McCarthy, House Speaker, has asked the White House to start negotiations immediately.

Hern’s letter supported that argument and rejected the Democrats’ arguments that it doesn’t make sense to combine cuts with a rise in the debt ceiling. He noted that this has been done several times over the past few decades.

Hern encouraged RSC members also to get involved in fighting against America’s increasing national debt.

He wrote, “As Chairman (RSC) of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), i urge my fellows to recognize the importance of this moment.” “We must take responsibility for our nation’s financial security by negotiating meaningful fiscal reforms that are accompanied by raising the debt limit.

Hern stated that the next few weeks will be spent educating members on the topic and talking to House GOP leadership and committees.

He wrote that he was confident that the RSC would help to craft a responsible solution that would begin to restore fiscal sanity.

Hern stated that Congress cannot make reckless assumptions about the nation’s debt crisis. “The RSC will collaborate to offer responsible solutions and demonstrate to the American people that Congress is capable of serious leadership as well as fiscal responsibility.”