On Monday, a group of 13 House Republicans sent a letter to Senate Republicans urging them to oppose the $1.7 trillion spending bill for fiscal year 2023, which Democrats are trying to ram through Congress just before Republicans take control of the House.
The group who sent the letter was led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and included Reps. Scott Perry (R-PA), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Matthew Rosdeale (R-MT), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Bob Good (R-VA), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Andy Ogles (R-TN), and Eli Crane (R-AZ).
“We urge you to take all steps necessary to stop the soon to be finalized omnibus spending bill negotiated with Democrats,” the letter said. “At the very least, due respect for Americans who elected us would call for not passing a ‘lame duck’ spending bill just days before Members fly home for Christmas and two weeks before a new Republican majority is sworn in for the 118th Congress. Senate Republicans have the 41 votes necessary to stop this and should do so now and show the Americans who elected you that they weren’t wrong in doing so.”
“The American people did not elect us – any of us – to continue the status quo in Washington, as this bill will undoubtably do,” the letter continued. “They didn’t elect us to borrow and spend more money we do not have as interest rates skyrocket in response to government spending fueled inflation, eating away at the livelihoods of Americans. They didn’t elect us to increase spending or even continue spending at current levels as higher interest payments consume an increasing percentage of our budget, and our $31 trillion national debt eclipses the size of our economy.”
The letter referred to the omnibus bill as “an indefensible assault on the American people.”
“It is an assault on the separation of powers,” the letter continued. “It is an assault on fiscal responsibility. It is an assault on basic civic decency. And a vote for any omnibus in the remaining days of a Democrat led government is a vote in favor of that assault. As such, we urge you to oppose this bill completely and to refrain from entertaining any spending bill that extends beyond the first few months of the 118th Congress.”
Near the end of the letter, the group warned, “we are obliged to inform you that if any omnibus passes in the remaining days of this Congress, we will oppose and whip opposition to any legislative priority of those senators who vote for this bill – including the Republican leader. We will oppose any rule, any consent request, suspension voice vote, or roll call vote of any such Senate bill, and will otherwise do everything in our power to thwart even the smallest legislative and policy efforts of those senators.”
13 @HouseGOP to @SenateGOP: “…we are obliged to inform you that if any omnibus passes in the remaining days of this Congress, we will oppose and whip opposition to any legislative priority of those senators who vote for this bill – including the… leader.”#StandUpForAmerica pic.twitter.com/AVAHmESbKF
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) December 20, 2022
