Andy Barr: “I thank my good friend, Kevin Hern, from the great State of Oklahoma not only for his leadership on the Republican Study…”

“I thank my good friend, Kevin Hern, from the great State of Oklahoma not only for his leadership on the Republican Study Committee Budget and Spending Task Force--ably chairing that committee--but also as an advocate for more domestic energy production to deal with this energy crisis. Like your constituents in Oklahoma, my constituents in rural Kentucky are feeling the pain. I was just with some farmers in Fleming County, Kentucky, on Friday when we were back in the district. And one of the farmers stood up, and he said: I don't know where you get your numbers in Washington, Congressman, but 8.6 percent doesn't sound right for us in Fleming County. It is more than twice that. It is painful to fill up the diesel in our tractor. It is impossible for us to fill up our trucks to get around to move our produce. This is not 8.6 percent. You all don't know what the real number is and how it affects real Americans. That is how bad this inflation crisis is. But I rise in strong support of this Republican Study Committee's proposed Federal budget. Our Nation is over $30 trillion in debt. This debt crisis threatens the long-term prosperity of every American. It is that debt, and it is that overspending, Mr. Speaker, that has helped to usher in this historic inflation crisis that is crushing my constituents in Fleming County and so many other middle-class Americans across this country.…”