An Open Letter to Congressman Bergman

April 25, 2023

 Hon. Jack Bergman, MC
414 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

 Dear Congressman Bergman,

Recent emails from your office indicate that you support the efforts of the Republican leadership in the House to deny the paying of the existing debts of the United States unless significant compromises are reached regarding the future budget of the United States.

The debt ceiling involves authorization to pay the current debts of the United States, as authorized by existing law. Questions of how and when to reduce or increase spending require the House, the Senate and the President to negotiate to determine future matters of lawful expenditure. Properly, these should be managed as completely separate from the debt ceiling matter.

The failure to raise the debt ceiling and the resulting default of the United States to pay its legally incurred debts is, in plain language, denying the validity of the debt of the United States.

Section 4 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution states: “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law…shall not be questioned.”

By allowing the public debt of the United States authorized by existing law to go into default by failing to enact an increase to the debt ceiling, you are effectively questioning the validity of the debt of the United States in direct violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

As a general officer of the U.S. Marine Corps, and as a Member of Congress, you have taken a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Please explain to us and the people of northern Michigan how and why you believe you are authorized to disavow these oaths of office and ignore the Fourteenth Amendment.

William Fink                                                                        Barry Elizabeth Fink