Press Releases

Webster: Congress Again Fails to Restore Fiscal Responsibility

Washington, DC – A consistent advocate for cutting government spending who has also taken steps personally to set an example, today Florida Congressman Daniel Webster (R-Clermont) released the following statement regarding his opposition to the Senate’s omnibus government spending bill. H.R. 2617, the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Act restricts funding for border security and spends taxpayer dollars on dubious programs while making no attempt to seriously address the government spending problem.

“I have continuously called on my colleagues – Democrat and Republican alike – to return to a responsible and thorough process for developing the federal budget. They have both failed to do so and instead, the U.S. Senate released a 4,000+ page budget that was developed by a handful of members on a timeline that doesn’t allow us to fully review before being required to cast our vote. It's a slap in face of Americans that this bill invests in other countries' security while specifically restricting it on our own border.

“I have also consistently worked to reform Washington and oppose my colleagues’ exorbitant and dangerous spending habit. I also reject the Washington presumption that nothing can be cut in order to fund priorities without increasing the deficit. I hope next Congress, my colleagues will embrace their obligation to develop a thoughtful, fiscally responsible budget early and with an open process.

“I am confident we can set our nation on a responsible fiscal path while investing in critical priorities, including border security, infrastructure projects, and our military. It starts with Congress rejecting the practice of last-minute funding deals and policies that restrict economic growth.”

Webster annually returns funds allocated for his Congressional offices to the U.S. Treasury – saving more than $4 million taxpayer dollars. Additionally, every year Rep. Webster delivers a check to the Treasury to roll back his salary to 2008 amount. Although this may appear as a small action given the trillions of dollars the federal government spends, it is a step in the right direction. If all federal government spending was rolled back to 2008 amounts, we would no longer have a budget deficit and could begin to pay down our debts.

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