Rep. Joe Walsh: Tea Party leader will vote no on debt ceiling deal

WASHINGTON–Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), who has emerged as a Tea Party leader, said Sunday night he will not back the bi-partisan agreement because it does not go far enough.

Walsh statement:

“Tonight’s deal shows how far the debate has moved in just a few months. At the beginning of this debate President Obama insisted on a clean debt ceiling increase. He then reluctantly moved to demanding that any deal must have billions of dollars in new taxes on american families and businesses. However, the Republican party stood up and said we will not pay for your out of control spending by increasing taxes.

While I give my Republican leadership all the credit in the world, I can not support this latest deal. I have made it clear from day one that I will never vote in favor of a debt ceiling increase unless it fundamentally changes the way Washington DC spends money. I believe the way to do that is by statutory spending caps and a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution”.