On the recordSeptember 28, 2023
My amendment makes a $4.5 billion cut; $3.5 billion of that stops us from retiring global debt for Ukraine. Now, I don't think it is an unrealistic position to say that the United States of America should not deficit spend to retire the debt of other countries. Think about that. We are borrowing money from China to go settle the debts of Ukraine that they accrued far before this war with Russia. My colleagues say this exists to counter the PRC. We are never going to out-bribe the PRC on the global scene. We are going to need another strategy. If you listen to the debate of those opposing my amendment, hear the substance: Oh, my goodness, people around the world are having problems buying food and buying fuel, and if the U.S. taxpayer would just sacrifice a little more, it might be easier to buy food and fuel in other countries. I have a message for my Democratic colleagues: People are having a hard time buying food and fuel in this country as a consequence of the very inflationary spending that I am trying to reduce with this amendment. We should retire our debt before we retire Ukraine's debt. That is such an obvious statement, I am shocked I have to say it on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, where I am just glad we are still hanging our flag. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
