Wilson Opposed Deal On Debt Cap

The question arose Thursday when Wilson unveiled a campaign ad that has former Republican Sen. Pete Domenici criticizing Rep. Martin Heinrich for supporting a 2011 federal debt-limit deal that economic experts contend could cost 20,000 jobs in New Mexico.

As it turns out, Wilson said at the time of the August 2011 vote that she would have opposed the debt-limit measure, which will trigger deep federal budget cuts if Congress can’t agree on a long-term deficit reduction plan by Dec. 31.

Wilson, a Republican and the former representative of the 1st Congressional District, and Heinrich, a Democrat and the district’s current representative, are vying for the U.S. Senate seat opening up with the retirement of Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.

“After all the debate surrounding this bill, in the end, it is just not good enough and I do not support it,” Wilson said at the time of the House vote. “Our government still spends far more money than it takes in, and this bill does very little to change that. If we want a better bill, we need a better Senate.”

Wilson didn’t mention New Mexico job cuts, but she did warn that the deal would hurt national defense if an agreement wasn’t reached by the end of this year. A University of New Mexico study this year – after the debt-limit deal was reached – found that the bill could result in as many as 20,000 job losses in New Mexico.

“The consequences for our national security will be severe,” Wilson said in 2011.

At the time of his vote in 2011, Heinrich said the bill was essential.

“It’s a necessary compromise to prevent a disastrous default by the federal government,” he said. “I am not willing to allow New Mexicans to pay the high price of that outcome.”

The bill stemmed from a congressional stalemate on increasing the nation’s debt limit and avoiding a default. The legislation adopted by Congress established so-called sequestration rules that would automatically reduce the federal deficit by $1.2 trillion if a budget deal isn’t reached.

Budget cuts would apply to defense and nondefense spending in the coming decade. Reps. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Steve Pearce, R-N.M., voted against the bill establishing sequestration rules. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, both New Mexico Democrats, voted for the debt-limit measure.

Heinrich has said he hopes Congress can reach a deal to avoid sequestration but that reining in the federal debt is important.

The money race: Wilson raised more campaign cash than Heinrich for the second quarter in a row, according to fundraising numbers released by the campaigns Friday.

Wilson reported raising $2.15 million during the past three months compared with Heinrich’s $1.96 million.

Wilson has now raised $6.2 million since the campaign began while Heinrich has raised $5.9 million.

Michael Coleman is the Journal’s Washington bureau reporter, currently reporting from New Mexico. Contact him at mcoleman@abqjournal.com.<br> — This article appeared on page A4 of the Albuquerque Journal