Rep. Biggs Issues Statement on Budget Caps Deal

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, issued the following statement on the budget caps deal announced in the Senate:

"I am disgusted by our unconditional surrender on the budget caps deal. Republicans were elected to pass a budget, decrease spending, build a wall, secure the border, increase the strength of our military, repeal Obamacare, reform the Veterans Administration, and cut taxes. We were given the House, the Senate, and the White House to find some way to accomplish our promises.

"If this budget caps deal is approved by Congress, we will raise our federal spending by $300 billion across the next two years - more than 10 percent above current levels. This deal gives Democrats wins on many of their projects while achieving very few for Republicans. Meanwhile, our troops will only receive additional funding for another six weeks until we are forced to consider our sixth spending bill of the fiscal year just a few weeks from now.

"The pattern of relying on short-term spending bills - on average, more than five times a year for the last 20 years - has brought on a plethora of problems. Our military is subjected to uncertainty in planning and execution of its missions. Our agencies incur the waste of planning for government shutdowns multiple times each year. The dissipation incurred by failure to pass an annual budget through regular order has also heaped a massive national debt on this and future generations. This is not outrageous; it is self-immolation through legislative malfeasance.

"Our grandchildren will suffer due to our propensity to kick the can down the road. When will we act like the Republicans our constituents expect us to be? When will we cut spending, balance the budget, and reduce our national debt? I strongly oppose this deal, and I implore my colleagues to vote against this package."

Congressman Andy Biggs is a first-term Representative from Arizona's Fifth Congressional District, representing parts of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Queen Creek. Congressman Biggs is a member of the House Judiciary and Science, Space, and Technology committees, and is the chairman of the Environment Subcommittee. He lives with his wife, Cindy, in Gilbert.