Rome Reporter

U.S. Representative Mike Collins (R-GA) has expressed his concerns over the passage of a Continuing Resolution (CR) in Congress, highlighting fears about fiscal sustainability and criticizing the spending practices of Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden. The CR was passed by House leaders to prevent a partial government shutdown and provide additional time for fiscal year 2024 spending negotiations.

Collins made several statements on the matter. "We are barreling towards a fiscal cliff and Congress won't do its job," he said. He further added, "While I understand Speaker Johnson inherited a budget mess in the middle of the fourth quarter, I cannot support, nor can our country sustain, a continuation of Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden's reckless spending." He also voiced his concern about the timing of future appropriations: "We are weeks away from beginning fiscal year 2025 appropriations and we have yet to finish 2024 spending bills." Collins concluded with a call to action: "That is unacceptable. It's time for Congress to do the job the American people sent us here to do, immediately."

Newsmax reports that the measure was passed by a vote of 314-108 in the House, with opposition primarily from conservative Republicans. The bill had been approved by the Senate 77-18 earlier in the day. This short-term spending bill extends current spending levels and provides time for negotiations that began in October, ensuring government operations until March 8.

Newsmax also highlights that House Speaker Mike Johnson is under pressure not to compromise on border security, particularly from right-wing factions. Current discussions with Democrats involve a $110 billion package for wartime spending to address Ukraine's needs amidst its conflict with Russia.

According to Associated Press, as of January 2, 2024, U.S. federal government's gross national debt reached an unprecedented high of over $34 trillion. This development has sparked concerns among lawmakers about impending political and economic challenges to manage the nation's fiscal situation. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) had originally forecasted this milestone to be reached in fiscal year 2029 in its January 2020 projections. However, in its 30-year outlook last June, the CBO projected that publicly held debt would constitute a historic 181% of American economic activity by the year 2053.