Former Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) slammed the Republican Party Friday for agreeing to the $400 billion budget deal to avoid a government shutdown.
“Republicans have lost every single bit of credibility on the idea that they care at all about debts and deficits,” he said on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria.”
"They can talk all they want, but when they had the chance to do it, they caved and they spent so much money it's stunning," Chaffetz told host Maria Bartiromo.
.@jasoninthehouse: "Republicans have lost every single bit of credibility on the idea that they care at all about debts and deficits." pic.twitter.com/EqCBrqxLvV
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) February 9, 2018
The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 71-28 early Friday morning and was later approved in the House 240-186.
Not all Republicans were on board, however. Fiscal hawks in the House Freedom Caucus as well as Sen. Rand Paul, who sought to delay the bill by demanding a vote on his amendment to restore the budget caps, were opposed to the deal.
The 652-page measure includes roughly $300 billion in additional funds for military and nonmilitary programs over the next two years, nearly $90 billion in disaster relief, a higher statutory debt ceiling, $3 billion to tackle the opioid epidemic, $10 billion on infrastructure, $2 billion on higher education, $2.9 billion on childcare, and much, much more.
After President Trump signed the bill into law he said Republicans were “forced to increase spending” on many items they did not want to and the only way to remedy the situation is by getting more Republicans elected to Congress.
Without more Republicans in Congress, we were forced to increase spending on things we do not like or want in order to finally, after many years of depletion, take care of our Military. Sadly, we needed some Dem votes for passage. Must elect more Republicans in 2018 Election!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2018
Costs on non-military lines will never come down if we do not elect more Republicans in the 2018 Election, and beyond. This Bill is a BIG VICTORY for our Military, but much waste in order to get Dem votes. Fortunately, DACA not included in this Bill, negotiations to start now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2018
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