The national debt crossed $37 trillion today, and a Georgia-based budget watchdog says interest is now crowding out other priorities. Concord Action’s Carolyn Bourdeaux is urging Congress to stop the bleeding.
📌 Why It Matters: Higher federal debt can ripple into everyday life—think pricier mortgages, car loans, and less room in Washington’s budget for schools, roads, and disaster aid. That’s the warning from Concord Action, which says interest costs are starting to squeeze other spending.
📰 What’s Happening:
- Concord Action Executive Director Carolyn Bourdeaux said in a statement that “for the first time in U.S. history, the federal debt is above $37 trillion.” She called the trajectory “unsustainable,” arguing the U.S. is spending “almost $2 trillion more than it takes in.”
- Bourdeaux warned that interest payments are “starting to put pressure on other critical budgetary priorities,” and said the growing debt is “an economic ball and chain” that will weigh on future investments and crisis response.
- She urged Congress to “commit to fiscally responsible funding,” close the annual deficit, and “put forward a serious plan to close our annual funding shortfalls and to reduce the national debt.”
🧭 Between The Lines: Concord Action frames rising debt as a kitchen-table issue—linking it to inflation and higher rates that show up in monthly payments—while pressing lawmakers for a long-term fix.
🌎 The Big Picture: Concord Action describes itself as a grassroots network pushing Washington to stop adding to the debt, which it says is “contributing to inflation, driving higher interest rates, threatening our national security, and creating an unfair burden on future generations.”
