It was another packed week back in session, as the fight to restore fiscal sanity continued. The Republican Study Committee introduced its annual budget for fiscal year 2025 that will balance the federal budget in seven years. On the Budget Committee, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget testified to defend President Biden’s fiscal year 2025 budget proposal. In another hearing surrounding the topic of the budget, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Secretary Vilsack testified before the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee to discuss the Department of Agriculture’s fiscal year 2025 budget request. The House passed a deal to keep the government funded until September, but it was unfortunately another green-light for more of Pelosi-era bloated budgets and open border policies. On a brighter note, I introduced the One Agency Act which would consolidate federal antitrust enforcement. As always, it was a pleasure to meet with businesses and organizations on the Hill. I will continue working to stop the harmful policies currently in place that have continued to hurt the people of Virginia’s Sixth District.
Fiscal Sanity for America
For too long, irresponsible spending habits in Washington have made the cost-of-living more expensive for hardworking American families, and they are fed up with business-as-usual. President Biden’s reckless spending has created devastating inflation, imperiling the American economy, and rapidly accelerating our country toward a national debt crisis. There are no signs that this will stop with his recently released FY 2025 budget, which seeks to spend an astonishing $7.3 trillion.
That is why last week, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) introduced its annual budget for fiscal year 2025, “Fiscal Sanity for America,” which balances the federal budget in seven years and cuts spending by $16.7 trillion over 10 years by prioritizing smart, common-sense policies to empower the American worker and reduce out-of-control spending to pay for what’s important. As Chairman of RSC’s Budget and Spending Task Force, I’m fighting to restore fiscal sanity to our Nation’s finances, and our plan will do just that.
Standing Against Business-As-Usual Washington
When House Republicans took the gavel back in January, we made a promise to the American people to pass all 12 appropriations bills, avoid a continuation of former Biden, Chumer, and Pelosi’s reckless spending levels, and stop the chaos at our southern border. Recently, our national debt reached a staggering $34.5 trillion, and the total number of illegal border crossings have hit a new record high this year.
Unfortunately, Congress once again in a last-ditch effort to keep the government funded before the March 22 deadline passed a spending deal that was written behind closed doors, released within just a few hours for us to read, and busts spending limits agreed to just a few months ago. That’s why I voted NO on the minibus spending bill. It also funds more of the same business-as-usual policies that have hurt American families. Rest assured, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will fight to restore fiscal responsibility, root out government waste, and get our Nation back on a path to economic prosperity.
The Biden Admin Fails To Hold China Accountable
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Secretary Vilsack testified before the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee to discuss the Department of Agriculture’s fiscal year 2025 budget request. I took the opportunity during the hearing to discuss my concerns over USDA’s collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences on a project. Although Secretary Vilsack stated that it, “is not a collaboration per se,” their website says otherwise.
It’s no secret that the Communist government poses a large threat to our national security. That’s why the USDA should not be collaborating with the Chinese government on risky virus research when they have violated U.S. grant and gain of function policies, obstructed COVID origin investigations, and refused to share critical data on US COVID Research. We cannot allow China’s malicious influence campaign to continue unchecked.
Sounding the Alarm on Big Government Spending
Last week, Shalanda Young, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget testified before the House Budget Committee to defend President Biden’s FY25 bloated budget proposal. This nightmare will explode the deficit and lead to skyrocketing inflation rates, while harming our families and our small businesses in the process.
The President’s proposal spends more than $7.3 trillion a year for the next decade and adds $16.3 trillion in inflationary deficit spending. Further, the proposal includes $5 trillion in new taxes and could break President Biden’s promise of not raising taxes on those making less than $400,000. This will hurt small businesses and jobs and take money out of the pockets of hard-working Americans. President Biden has proven he is unwilling to make the tough decisions to confront the reality of our nation’s unbalanced budget and weak economy. The reckless spending and economic damage done by this Administration and years of Democrats’ control shows that their beliefs do not align with the values of the American people.
House Republicans have been long sounding the alarm on the fiscal challenges facing our nation and taking the necessary steps to put the nation on a more sound, fiscal path.
Introducing the One Agency Act
I was also pleased to introduce the One Agency Act last week, which would consolidate federal antitrust enforcement in the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. Federal antitrust enforcement is currently divided between the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. Not only will consolidating antitrust enforcement be more efficient and productive than the current situation, but the FTC can continue to operate as an independent commission focused on its consumer protection mission, which includes investigating fraud and scams, assisting Americans with identity theft, and operating the National Do Not Call registry to prevent “robocalls.”
It’s important to note that the One Agency Act carefully transitions personnel from the FTC to the DOJ without disrupting current enforcement proceedings. I look forward to the passage of the One Agency Act, which will strengthen antitrust enforcement by putting resources into one agency and streamlining the focus of the FTC. Read the full bill here.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
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