Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) expressed his readiness to diverge from the slim Republican majority in the House when it comes to legislative matters that align with his moral beliefs. In an interview on “CNN This Morning,” he stated, “If it’s morally correct, if it’s something that I really believe in… if we continue down this path of economic destruction, spending our great-grandchildren’s money, yes, I will, and I have.”
He emphasized the need for sanity in governance, asserting, “And we’ll continue on that path until we regain some sanity.” Burchett called on his fellow representatives to consider passing single-issue spending legislation as a means to address the national debt effectively.
Economic sanity urged by Burchett to prevent government shutdown and dollar devaluation
“We could just do like we do in Tennessee, single-issue spending bills,” he suggested. He criticized the practice of overwhelming lawmakers with lengthy spending bills, explaining that this process leads to rushed decisions.
“It’s a great way if you’re in power, Democrat or Republican, to drop a 3,000-page spending bill on your desk two hours before, and all you do is read down, ‘Oh, there’s page 25, there’s all the stuff I need, or there’s the lobbyist I need degrees or what have you,’ and then they vote for it. And that’s why we’re $36 trillion in debt.”
The Republican majority in the House has decreased further this week, following the election of Democratic Assembly member Adam Gray over incumbent GOP Rep. John Duarte in California’s 13th Congressional District.
The race remains uncalled by The Hill/Decision Desk HQ. President-elect Trump also nominated two current House members for prominent administration roles, designating Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as his ambassador to the United Nations and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) as national security adviser. Consequently, the GOP’s representation has dwindled to 220 seats against 215 for Democrats.
Despite winning reelection, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) will not return to Congress, as he withdrew from consideration for the attorney general position initially offered by Trump. This situation temporarily leaves the GOP with a slim advantage of 217 to 215 seats.
With the legislative session winding down, lawmakers have just over two weeks to avert a government shutdown, as the current spending agreement expires on December 20. When asked about supporting another continuing resolution to fund the government, Burchett responded, “It depends.”
“It depends on the situation,” he clarified. “But if we continue on this path, it’s inevitable we’re going to destroy our economy and shut the government down anyway.” He highlighted the financial strain on Americans, noting, “Right now, Americans are paying around $600 to $1,200 more a month just to survive,” attributing this burden to reckless spending.
Burchett labeled this practice as “deficit spending,” cautioning his colleagues against continuing this harmful cycle. “Every economist will tell you that is what causes the devaluation of your dollar. And we just can’t continue on this path. All we’re doing is really just buying our reelection,” he remarked, pointing out that both parties share the blame for the situation.
