Republicans Must Embrace Fiscal Restraint, Just Say No to Both Infrastructure Bills
Fairfax, Va. – Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement today urging Senate Republicans to reject both so-called infrastructure spending bills under consideration:
“With recent polls showing that nearly 9 in 10 voters are worried about the rising cost of living, Republicans seeking to regain House and Senate majorities in 2022 are wise to embrace the principle of fiscal restraint. It would be a bad look for Senate Republicans to go along with legislation that promises almost $580 billion of deficit-spending over eight years, averaging $72 billion a year, and who knows what’s in years nine and ten. Moreover, by green lighting this spending on a 60-vote threshold, Senate Republicans who go along with it will be providing deficit offset wiggle room for the Democrats’ second spending bill they plan to push through on budget reconciliation. That bill could total as much as $3.5 trillion. If Congress doesn’t pass the first spending bill, it would mean the second bill would have to be significantly watered down. If Democrats wanted a deal with Republicans, they should take their second bill off the table. The fact they haven’t should make this Senate deal a non-starter.
“If the GOP wants to regain the mantel of fiscal responsibility, its members in Congress cannot pretend that adding an additional $72 billion a year to the annual deficit above and beyond the regularly authorized debt is okay. It is not and it is dangerous. It is time to just say no to the off-budget spending that has thrown our nation into a debt induced downward spiral.”
For media availability contact Catherine Mortensen at 703.478.4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org.