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Friday, Mar 1, 2013 5:28 PM UTC

Paul Ryan hints at another debt ceiling showdown

“The debt problem is getting worse,” he said

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Topics: Paul Ryan, Debt ceiling, Budget Showdown, House Republicans,

Paul Ryan hints at another debt ceiling showdown (Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

As the country prepares for the sequester cuts to go into effect and Congress works to strike a deal to avert a government shutdown, Rep. Paul Ryan is promising another budget fight: over whether or not to raise the debt ceiling again.

Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post reports that she asked Ryan about the debt ceiling:

Really, I ask, the debt ceiling, again? I thought Republicans were determined to avoid replaying that losing hand. “Not this time,” Ryan said, before the words were even out of my mouth.

“The debt problem is getting worse,” he said. “We’re not leaving this session of Congress until we have a down payment on the problem.”

Early in February, President Obama signed a deal to temporarily raise the debt ceiling, delaying the real fight until later this year. This version of the agreement included a provision from House Republicans to halt lawmakers’ pay in either chamber that doesn’t come up with a deal.

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com. More Jillian Rayfield.

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