“I actually pushed the Deficit Reduction Act. That was the last time we actually reduced the national debt in the United States, when I was the leader of House conservatives.”
Mike Pence
former vice president. a GOP debate. Claim dated 23 Aug 2023.
PolitiFact rated thisMostly False
What PolitiFact found
The U.S. last reduced its debt on a sustained basis from 1996 to 2001. This was largely before Pence entered Congress, and half a decade to a decade before the law he referred to passed.
Their words, from the summary they publish with the rating.
In short
Mike Pence (former vice president) made this claim around 23 August 2023. PolitiFact (United States) looked into it and published its finding on 29 August 2023, 6 days later. Its rating was “Mostly False”.
Mike Pence has 46 checked claims in this archive. Fact-checking organisations rated 17 of them false or fake, 25 misleading or mixed and 0 true.
This check was done by PolitiFact, not by DoesItStand. We list it so you can find it. Their full evidence and reasoning are in their article.