Romney to vote against budget deal: Agreement ‘perpetuates fiscal recklessness’

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) announced Thursday he intends to vote against a budget deal the White House struck with House Democrats earlier this week as conservatives continue to express concerns over increases to the national debt. 

“Utah balances its budget every year, and while it may not be in fashion in Washington, we still care deeply about fiscal responsibility. The federal government, however, has followed a very different course, and our national debt now totals over $22 trillion,” Romney said in a statement to The Hill. 

{mosads}“This deal unfortunately perpetuates fiscal recklessness by adding another $2 trillion to the debt, and I cannot support it. We must repair our fiscal foundation and set a course to a balanced budget now so that we avoid a future debt crisis that would pose grave hardships for our children and grandchildren.”

Romney joins Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in opposing the deal. Other Republicans, including Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and John Kennedy (La.), are still undecided. 

President Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reached a two-year budget deal on Monday that also suspends the debt ceiling through July 2021. The agreement sets the top-line numbers for overall defense and nondefense spending at $738 billion and $632 billion for fiscal 2020 and $740 billion and $634.5 billion for fiscal 2021.

Trump has urged Congress to pass the agreement as fiscal hawks in both chambers of Congress express concerns over estimates that the deal could add trillions to deficits over a decade. 

House Republicans should support the TWO YEAR BUDGET AGREEMENT which greatly helps our Military and our Vets. I am totally with you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019

“Our credit card is maxed out,” Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), a member of House leadership, tweeted this week. “What this budget deal does is ask the credit card company for another $320 billion in credit NOW for the chance to get paid back $75 billion in a decade. No bank would take that. American taxpayers shouldn’t either.” 

The debt ceiling is here again. Our credit card is maxed out. What this budget deal does is ask the credit card company for another $320 billion in credit NOW for the chance to get paid back $75 billion in a decade. No bank would take that. American taxpayers shouldn’t either.

— Rep. Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) July 23, 2019

The House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group of Republicans that includes some of Trump’s staunchest allies, also came out in opposition to the budget deal this week, calling it “a $323 billion spending frenzy with no serious offsets.”

However, the agreement has support from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who have expressed confidence that the deal is the best the White House could have been reached with Pelosi.