House Democrats Tuesday night passed a continuing resolution which would fund the federal government through early December and raise the $28 trillion debt ceiling.
Garnering no support from their Republican colleagues, the Democrat-sponsored bill passed in a party-line vote of 220-211. The move has been met with fierce opposition from all factions within the GOP, especially among the party’s fiscal hawks.
Although the U.S. House of Representatives passed the continuing resolution with no Republican support, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) places blame for the nation’s debt crisis at the feet of members of both parties.
“Socialist Democrat and Republican ‘Debt Junkies’ are hell-bent on bankrupting America,” stated Brooks. “America’s debt will soon blow through the $30 trillion mark. That is roughly $90,000 in debt for every man, woman and child in America. America’s deficit exceeded $3 trillion in FY 2020 and is projected by the Congressional Budget Office to again break the $3 trillion mark in FY 2021. [A]merica’s financial situation is dire. Congressional Debt Junkies bury their heads in the sand and spend with reckless abandon. Ultimately, their callous disregard for economic realities will destroy the America it took our ancestors centuries to build.”
Brooks pointed to rising inflation, stating that in order to have felt no financial burden due to the devaluation of the U.S. dollar, Americans would have needed to been given a significant pay increase to offset the cost of inflation.
“An historical by-product of excessive and dangerous budget deficits is inflation,” continued Brooks. “At 5.4 percent, inflation broke a 13-year high in August thanks to Debt Junkies’ out-of-control Washington spending. Stated differently, if your family did not get a 5.4% pay raise during the past year, then you suffered a pay cut in real dollar terms. [I]nstead of being financially responsible and restraining out-of-control spending, Congressional Debt Junkies seek to raise the debt ceiling so they can engage in even more selfish, destructive conduct.”
Brooks concluded, “Debt Junkie spending is excessive. It is dangerous. I will vote against both the debt ceiling increase and excessive spending that Debt Junkies in Congress selfishly rely on to get reelected.”
Joining Brooks in slamming attempts to raise the debt ceiling is U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) as he likened the move to provide President Joe Biden with a “blank check.”
“I was taught growing up that when you’re in debt and your house is falling apart, you don’t get another credit card to splurge on fancy restaurants and luxurious vacations,” said Moore. “Instead of addressing the many crises facing our nation, including the border, crime, and inflation, Pelosi is asking taxpayers to write a blank check to the Biden administration to pay for its wildly expensive socialist spending spree.”
The South Alabama congressman expressed his support of “sensible spending reform” to address the ever-expanding national debt.
“Worst of all, Pelosi waited until days before government funding runs out to force Congress to swallow a debt ceiling increase at the risk of a shutdown,” he added. “At a time when Bidenomics is already wreaking havoc on millions of hardworking families, farmers, and small business owners, we should be focused on sensible spending reform – not holding America’s fiscal future hostage.”
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate where it will need bipartisan support to pass the upper chamber to avert a government shutdown. Thus far, Senate Republicans have pledged to stand in opposition to the continuing resolution.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
