Providing for Consideration of H.R. Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. Included within the rule measure is H.R. 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Fortunately, the Fiscal Responsibility Act makes worthwhile reforms that will safeguard America's fiscal solvency.

Mr. Speaker, 100 days, that is how long President Biden flirted with economic calamity because he was too stubborn to come to terms with the new political reality. The American people did not send a Republican majority to continue business as usual.

Mr. Speaker, the typical business as usual is where elected lawmakers come together in a lameduck session and knock the bottom out of the country's finances.

Well, no more, Mr. Speaker.

With the passage of this legislation, Republicans are putting America back on a sound fiscal footing by reducing nondiscretionary funding, reforming entitlement programs, and adding requirements that Congress pass its 12 appropriations bills on time. That is a massive change from the status quo.

Credit our fellow Rules Committee member, Thomas Massie, for the concept of including this in the debt limit bill, because if the appropriators cannot pass all 12 of their appropriations bills by September 30, it automatically goes to a continuing resolution with a 1 percent reduction. That is the first time that that has ever happened. So we have budget enforcement, in fact, without blowing up the filibuster over in the Senate, and we all know what that could lead to.

While no one can say that they got everything they wanted in this bill, and candidly, I don't think the permitting reforms are nearly enough. The NEPA reform included in this bill is an important first step, but there is no question that we will need to do much more.

The full faith and credit of the United States is preserved with this legislative product. Bear this in mind: If the United States were to default on its debt, there actually is another country, the People's Republic of China, who would like to be the reserve currency of the world. We will not give them that chance when we pass this bill.

I commend Patrick McHenry and Garret Graves for their hard work in bringing us this vital piece of legislation. I commend the Speaker for bringing it to a vote on the floor today after 72 hours for Members to read and understand the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source