In the News

Another Holiday Season, Another Holiday Shutdown

by Rep. French Hill
Log Cabin Democrat
December 16, 2022

As the 117^th Congress winds down, my Democrat colleagues have been racing to add irrelevant amendments to the pending annual government funding – a “Christmas tree” of a bill, if you will. These amendments do not pertain to matters at hand, rather, serve as a final-hour approach for Democrats attempting to get their “wish list" passed in the lame duck Congress. This has led us to where we are today – approaching another holiday, another massive increase in government funding, and another possible government shutdown.
 

As inflation continues to hurt Americans, the Biden Administration continues to push their reckless spending agenda, adding an additional tax on their wallets for essential items – gas to fill up their cars, groceries to feed their families, and utility bills to keep their homes warm this winter. Unfortunately, Congress’ continued spending, increasing regulatory burden, and proposing to further raise taxes on American energy, has impeded the Federal Reserve’s ability to beat, or even ease, inflation.

Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 7209, the Price Stability Act, which would ensure the Federal Reserve focuses its efforts exclusively on containing inflation and keeping prices in check for hardworking Americans. I also voted against increasing the debt limit by $2.5 trillion in 2021 and against the Inflation Reduction Act – which did the opposite of reducing inflation by providing $80 billion to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and raising taxes on energy producers and 4.7 million businesses as our country is in a recession.

If my colleagues in Congress can work together in a bipartisan manner, good things can happen. As Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives in January, we will have a more vigorous debate with the Biden Administration in order to design policies to get our economy back on track and government spending back to pre-pandemic levels. We can fight inflation by offering concrete legislative proposals, such as making the Trump-era tax cuts permanent and unleashing American energy.

We need to stop the failed economic approach that the Biden Administration and the Democratic Party have imposed over the last several years. I urge my Republican colleagues to come together in the new Congress to work together to introduce and pass critical legislation to improve our economy, secure our southwest border, fight stubborn inflation – policies that the vast majority of Americans embrace. House Republicans must lead the way and demonstrate that our ideas in our Commitment to America will lead to a more prosperous, more secure, more safe country for our families.