Conservative Republicans late Wednesday bristled at the release of a $1.3 trillion spending bill that is expected to add hundreds of billions more to the $21 trillion national debt over the next two years.
The bill, which will fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, was set to pass by the end of the week thanks to help from more moderate Republicans and many Democrats. But debt and deficit hawks warned the bill is just the latest example of how the Republican majority has failed to rein in spending as promised.
“I am troubled by the increasing deficits being created by our Republican majority,” said Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., who chairs the 154-member Republican Study Committee. “It is imperative that we curb Washington’s out-of-control spending addiction that has not been slowed under Republican rule.”
“We are leaving our children and grandchildren an insurmountable financial burden that is impossible to resolve,” he added. “What will it take for Republican majorities to offer the reforms needed removing the shackles of a crippling debt?”
A narrower group of more conservative Republicans, the House Freedom Caucus, warned that the bill makes the wrong policy choices and carries a “massive price tag.”
“This is an insult to America’s taxpayers, as well as their many rank-and-file representatives who had no say in the omnibus negotiations,” the group said in a statement.
The chairman of that group, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., complained more broadly about the final product and the closed process used to produce it.
“This is the total opposite of what Americans voted for,” he said. “When will we learn?”
Congress is about to vote on a $1.6 trillion funding bill, privately written by congressional leaders (still yet to be made public)–giving members and the public around 24 hours to read its 2,000 pages.
This is the total opposite of what Americans voted for. When will we learn?
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) March 21, 2018
The huge bill reflects a two-year spending agreement that Republican and Democratic leaders reached this year. Republicans won big increases for defense and national security programs, and to get Democrats to come along, the deal also foresees more domestic spending.
All told, it’s expected to result in $300 billion more in spending, after the national debt just reached $21 trillion last week.
The combination of more spending at a time of a record-high national debt after a nine-year recovery, in addition to a process that left lawmakers almost no time to review the bill, had other conservatives warning that Republicans are ignoring their prior pledges to control spending.
Days before the bill was released, Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., warned that national debt was already $21 trillion and remains “the biggest problem facing America.” Jones said he has voted against Washington’s “big-spending, debt-increasing” bills.
Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., who is certain to vote against the omnibus bill this week, agreed.
“This coming week, Congress and the president will push to add hundreds of billions of dollars to this figure,” he tweeted. “I’ll be standing with @RepWalterJones, @RepThomasMassie, and other members of the @libertycaucus to oppose the obscene omnibus spending bill.”
This coming week, Congress and the president will push to add hundreds of billions of dollars to this figure. I’ll be standing with @RepWalterJones, @RepThomasMassie, and other members of the @libertycaucus to oppose the obscene omnibus spending bill. https://t.co/o6Kv97ipVN
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 17, 2018
