Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement regarding the monumental debt load Washington Democrats are piling on the backs of American taxpayers. The federal government’s debt rose by approximately $1,750,000,000,000 ($1.75 trillion) during Fiscal Year 2009, which ends today.

“As the 2009 fiscal year comes to a close, it’s appropriate to reexamine the incredible fiscal irresponsibility being demonstrated by this Congress,” said Congressman Price. “During the last twelve months, this Democrat-run Congress has burdened American taxpayers with $1.75 trillion in new debt. The national debt has increased by more than 35 percent since the Democrats took control of Congress in January 2007, and there’s no end in sight. Even President Obama admits that this colossal deficit spending is unsustainable, yet his own budget proposal perpetuates the problem with over $9 trillion of additional deficit spending over the next decade.

“Tough choices must be made, and the longer we wait the more difficult they become. The Republican Study Committee introduced a budget proposal that would result in a surplus by 2019 by making those tough choices today. Until this Democrat-run Congress accepts the need for real leadership on this issue, we as a nation are surely headed for bankruptcy.”

NOTE: The Republican Study Committee proposed a balanced budget that would have provided $1.2 trillion in tax relief. It also included provisions to end bailouts, reduce non-defense discretionary spending, and tackle health entitlements. The RSC budget would have reduced the national debt by more than $6 trillion compared to the President’s plan. More information can be found here.