Every Christmas, Congress delivers people in the United States a lump of coal disguised as a continuing resolution or a thousands-page spending bill called an omnibus. Instead of handing out a Christmas bonus in the form of responsible governance, Congress forces an annual deduction from people to fund Santa’s workshop here in Washington, D.C.
The federal government’s spending is out of control, adding $2 trillion to the national debt annually with no plan to stop it. Reckless spending has driven our national debt to $36 trillion, yet some of my colleagues continue to say another continuing resolution is the solution. “Business as usual” in Washington has become a sham, but I can promise you this: President-elect Donald Trump’s mandate from the people will end this charade once and for all.
What people truly want this Christmas is transparency, a Congress that passes 12 individual appropriations bills and takes responsibility for how taxpayer dollars are spent.
In May 2023, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy struck a so-called “deal” with President Joe Biden, saying the Fiscal Responsibility Act would cap our federal debt in 2033 at $45.2 trillion, a $1.5 trillion decrease. Fast forward 18 months later, and despite what we were led to believe, our national debt in 2033 will now eclipse $50 trillion.
After the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, we suspended the debt ceiling until January 2025, conveniently after the 2024 elections, and added $4 trillion to our debt in exchange for vague promises of spending cuts that never materialized. It was a bait-and-switch, an illusion of fiscal relief that fooled no one.
That $4 trillion wasn’t spent on the needs of the people. It didn’t fund a new border wall to stop the invasion at our southern border, provide disaster relief for Americans in crisis, or invest in energy production. Instead, it went toward warm beds, three square meals, and entertainment systems in migrant facilities for illegal immigrants.
The federal government has become addicted to writing blank checks, not for voters, but for illegal immigrants, foreign countries, and, in some cases, even terrorist organizations. Billions of taxpayer dollars were sent to Afghanistan with no intention of repayment, and $10.9 million of those dollars ended up in the hands of the Taliban.
While hardworking Americans struggle to make ends meet, other nations, and even our enemies, are thriving on the U.S.’s dime. This is unacceptable.
House Republicans were promised that the days of continuing resolutions would end in the 118th Congress. Yet here we are again, regifting the same tired excuses. How many times can Congress recycle the same broken promises and call it a solution? Enough is enough. It’s time to return to regular order, stop the games, and govern with integrity.
This Christmas, Congress will deliver yet another massive spending bill to fund the government, perpetuating the same reckless cycle. At this rate, we’ll never pay back our debt, leaving the burden on our children.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
As a father of three young children — ages 6, 4, and 2 — I refuse to hand them this mess. Our duty in Congress is to create a future where America’s children can thrive, not be shackled by $36 trillion in debt. I didn’t come to Washington to make friends. I came here to lead. That means working to preserve the future for your children and mine.
It doesn’t take a Christmas miracle to pass 12 appropriations bills. It just takes a Congress willing to act in the people’s best interests. This Christmas, and every Christmas after, Americans deserve to know how their hard-earned money is being spent by their government. The time for excuses is over. Let’s get to work.
Wesley Hunt represents Texas’s 38th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
