Clermont Times

Washington, D.C. – On May 31, Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) voted for the Fiscal Responsibility Act, legislation that reduces federal deficit spending by $2.1 trillion over the next six years, makes critical reforms to a number of federal programs and regulations, and blocks President Biden from hiring more IRS agents or continuing the pause in student loan repayments. 

"This legislation is a down payment towards fiscal sanity that has been long-absent in Washington. We are actually reducing how much the government spends from one year to the next for the first time in a decade and limiting the growth of government spending to just 1 percent a year for the next six years. 

Some believe this deal does not go far enough, and I agree. There are more steps needed to bring our country back onto the path of fiscal responsibility. House Republicans currently control barely one sixth of the government and have had less than 150 days in the majority. This is just our first step. Through this deal, we cut trillions in spending while there is a Democrat in the White House and Democrats control the Senate. The alternatives were either defaulting on our debt, risking severe economic consequences, or accepting Biden’s plan for a 'clean debt' increase with no reforms to our nation’s spending addiction.  

We were able to achieve these significant spending reductions because House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow, Act and forced President Biden to the negotiating table. We saw the alternative under Speaker Pelosi. We witnessed what happened under the first two years of Biden’s Presidency, when record spending caused massive inflation. This deal lays a fiscally responsible beginning at this point in time, and through this year’s upcoming appropriations process we plan to continue cutting wasteful spending even further. I look forward to building Republican majorities and continuing to work towards a responsible balanced budget."

Key provisions in this legislation include: 

·         Claws back the most taxpayer dollars ever, reigning in President Biden’s wasteful COVID splurge and zeroing out over 100 accounts. 

·         Expands work requirements for welfare to lift more Americans out of poverty and closes loopholes that blue states use to game the system for more taxpayer cash. 

·         Cuts red tape and speeds up federal permitting regulations for the first time in 40 years to more quickly reclaim American energy independence and build needed infrastructure like roads and bridges, like the Brent Spence Bridge in Southwest Ohio. 

·         Stops the IRS from hiring more agents this year, blocking President Biden’s efforts to audit more hardworking Americans.  

·         Prevents President Biden from backdoor student loan forgiveness by mandating borrowers to start repaying. 

·         Rejects any new taxes or tax increases requested by President Biden. 

·         Automatic spending cuts if Congress doesn’t do its job and pass appropriations bills. 

Original source can be found here.