“We are out of money, folks!” Florida Representative Byron Donalds spoke to congress on Wednesday amid a battle over the U.S. debt ceiling. As the U.S. surpasses its current $31 trillion ceiling, most lawmakers agree that they will have to raise it, but Republicans insist on seeing a spending reform bill first. Byrons weighed in,
“And so, if you’re going to take account of having to potentially raise the debt ceiling in the United States of America, you have to take account of how the federal government goes through the process of spending its money whether through normal times or even through pandemic times.”
Calls for fiscal responsibility have mounted since democrats crammed through a last-minute $1.7 trillion spending package in December. The 4,155-page bill included $45 billion in aid to Ukraine and over $15 billion in earmarks for left-wing projects like “gender programs in Pakistan” and the “Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund.”
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Both Florida Senators and all sixteen Florida Republican representatives voted against the spending package.
We cannot survive as a nation if we continue to spend beyond our means.
The Republicans have the plan to rein this in, while the only thing Democrats are offering is MORE spending.
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) January 31, 2023
“As a fiscal conservative, I am disturbed by the federal government allowing more than 26 trillion dollars of unfunded liabilities to burden future generations of Americans,” Donalds said in a statement. “All the while, our federal government continues to print and spend money as if it grows on trees.”
“As record-high inflation rampantly increases, Americans are suffering. Every aspect of our economy is experiencing a significant increase in prices. Whether it’s at the gas pump, the grocery store, or the airline ticket counter – inflation is a tax on ALL Americans. This Administration’s rampant and reckless spending is only contributing to our national debt and causing inflation to rise… Our federal budget needs to be completely overhauled, reviewed, evaluated, and approved based on the level of need.”
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Other Florida republicans have called for similar measures to be taken. Senator Rick Scott has made balancing the budget a key issue for his oreduceFlorida Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Kat Cammack have introduced legislation to reel in department spending and stop government overreach.
“To date, the Biden Administration has spent $4.8 trillion, much of which was not authorized by Congress.”
To date, the Biden Administration has spent $4.8 trillion, much of which was not authorized by Congress- but the result of department and agency overreach. I proudly introduced the REINS Act with my colleague, @RepKatCammack to help fix this problem. #CommittmentToAmerica pic.twitter.com/vNXH8DIlxm
— Gus Bilirakis (@RepGusBilirakis) January 30, 2023
This week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Joe Biden met to discuss the terms of raising the debt ceiling but did not reach a deal.
“Yesterday was a very nice conversation for more than an hour,” McCarthy said to reporters. “It didn’t mean we agreed, but we staked out different positions.”
Biden has called on republicans to pass a “clean” debt ceiling bill that does not include any spending reforms. McCarthy flatly rejected the idea.
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“We will not pass a clean debt ceiling here without some form of spending reform. So there will never be a clean one. At the end of the day, we’re going to get spending reforms.
I believe you have to lift the debt ceiling, but you do not lift the debt ceiling without changing your behavior. So it’s got to be both.
Speaking about negotiations with the White House, McCarthy said he and the president felt that “this is worthwhile to continue. So we’re going to continue it.”
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