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Friday, March 29, 2024 - 01:23 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Capitol Money 2021

The federal government has a big spending problem. We have watched both parties add to the federal debt for decades while ignoring the impending consequences. In one generation alone, the deficit has ballooned from $5.2 trillion to $28.4 trillion. A whopping 54% of the federal deficit has been incurred in just the past two years, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the government is out of money and is forcing the American people — and future generations — to bail them out.

In October, Congress found themselves in the predicament of either increasing the debt limit or cause yet another economic crisis. Even though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has voted to raise the debt limit multiple times under his leadership, he seemed reluctant to help Democrats this time around.  He eventually worked out an emergency short-term deal that would increase the debt limit until December. He hoped that Democrats would craft a standalone bill to take care of this problem in the meantime. However, once the December deadline passed, it was déjà vu all over again.

Sen. McConnell found himself in negotiations once again with Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). There was talk of including  the debt limit increase in the National Defense Authorization Act, which is widely viewed as a “must pass” bill. After conservatives worked hard to remove the provision that would have forced women to register for the selective service, this would be another poison pill that would leave conservatives having to choose between funding national defense and giving liberals a blank check. Thankfully, conservatives stuck together and sent the message to leadership that this option was a non-starter.

The final deal was steeped in complex Senate procedural maneuvers. The leaders agreed that they would first have to change Senate rules to allow a 51-vote majority to pass the debt limit increase instead of the usual 60 votes. The rule change would not have passed as a standalone bill, so they placed it in the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act (S. 610). Structuring the vote this way gave cover to Conservatives who wanted to vote against the debt limit. But, it required lawmakers to choose to vote to weaken the filibuster or cut Medicare services to the elderly. Ten Republicans voted to pass the bill.

On Tuesday of this week, the Senate proceeded with a full vote on S.J. Res. 33 to increase the debt limit by $2.5 million. The resolution passed along party lines as it did similarly in the House afterwards and was signed into law.

While some of our Senate allies were staunchly against raising the debt limit, other Senators have lost touch with the needs of the American people. Lawmakers who claim to be fiscally conservative should not be making backroom deals that will negatively impact our paychecks. That is why Eagle Forum scored against the rule change and final passage of the debt limit increase in both the House and Senate. We will continue to alert you to Congress’ reckless spending.

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