Legislative Update
After four and a half weeks of delay, President Biden finally released his budget for Fiscal Year 2024. The President says he’s delivering on his commitment to fiscal responsibility, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Under his budget, debt would grow by $19 trillion – hitting $43.6 trillion by 2033, and in the next year alone, spending would increase by $6.9 trillion. After two years of unprecedented spending, this budget is a slap in the face to hardworking middle-class Americans that have footed the bill for his irresponsible economic policies.
Instead of producing a budget that would provide much-needed relief for families and small businesses, President Biden continues to push the same unrealistic and expensive liberal wish list that can only be paid for with bad-for-business taxes in an attempt to create revenue. If the past few years haven’t made it obvious, the Biden administration has a spending problem that cannot be solved with more taxes on those that this budget hurts the most.
In fact, it seems like President Biden’s solution to everything is to simply raise taxes without looking at ways to reduce spending or reform programs that are driving our nation’s unsustainable debt and deficits. Continuing to raise taxes will only stifle economic growth, impede job creation, and frankly, be a temporary patch on problems that need a permanent fix.
Not only does the President’s budget fail to put forth real solutions that would put the country on a path forward to comprehensive economic reform, but it also practically ensures that the government runs on unsustainable continuing resolutions for the rest of the fiscal year. Operating on continuing resolutions is no way to govern. It simply kicks our funding troubles down the road and leaves the stability and credibility of our federal government in question. As an appropriator, it’s my job to ensure that Congress funds the government in a way that places our country on sure financial footing and provides a brighter future for generations of Americans to come.
When the Third District first elected me to serve in Congress, I promised to be a fiscally conservative lawmaker – and I have and will continue to uphold that promise as my Republican colleagues and I work to fund the government in a way that promotes economic growth and confronts the real fiscal challenges facing our nation.
Some picture highlights from the week:
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It was great to have the American Dental Association advocates from Arkansas visit my office on Tuesday. We discussed access to dental care for Arkansans and how good dental health is crucial to a person’s overall health.
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School nutritionists are vital to ensuring children have access to healthy, well-rounded meals. It was great to meet with representatives from Arkansas and hear an update on school nutrition in Arkansas.
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As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, it is of great importance to me to regularly speak with our nation’s top military officials. This week, I met with General Bryan Fenton, the new Commander of the United States Southern Command, and received updates on the Special Operation warfighter and heard his thoughts on ways Congress can support our national defense.
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The veteran community in Arkansas is strong. The Arkansas Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars shared their thoughts on veterans’ affairs, and we also discussed how Arkansas and Congress can work together to care for our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines after they depart service.
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It was a pleasure to have members of the 188th Wing in D.C. for a capitol tour! Here we are in the Lincoln Room. We hope you enjoyed your visit and time in Washington. Safe travels back to the Natural State!
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The Republic of the Marshall Island Embassy visited me this week, and we discussed the upcoming renewal of the US-RMI Compact of Free Association. We also talked about how we can come together to educate other members and staff about the national security implications of the Compact.
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Community Health Centers support our communities by ensuring access to healthcare for many individuals and families in underserved areas. I was happy to welcome members of the Community Health Centers of Arkansas to my office to speak about how they care for vulnerable patients, their needs for a robust workforce, and the funding that allows them to provide this care.
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Did you know that Arkansas’s Third District is home to several historic battlefields? Former Rep. John Culberson of Texas and the American Battlefield Trust Association came by my office to update me on the work they do to preserve battlefields like those in Arkansas and others across the country.
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Wishing you a great weekend ahead, and I hope to see you around Arkansas next week! Be sure to check out my website, Twitter, and Instagram pages in the meantime. |