Tim Geithner asks to raise debt ceiling

Congress has never failed to raise the debt limit when necessary. Because members of both parties have long recognized the need to keep politics away from this issue, these actions have traditionally received bipartisan support. This is clearly a moment in our history that calls for continuation of that tradition.

~ Timothy Geithner, Treasury Secretary, "Geithner asks Congress for higher U.S. debt limit", Washington Post, August 7, 2009