Democrats' Reckless Spending Plan

The U.S. Senate recently voted on a massive, $3.5 trillion spending measure that has a lot in common with the most extreme parts of today’s Democratic Party: It is radical, reckless, and has no plan to pay for what it proposes.

One of my Democratic colleagues said that “the Green New Deal is in the DNA” of this budget resolution. A podcast run by National Public Radio said that if Democrats’ budget becomes law, it would “reshape the role of the federal government in American life.”

I voted against this resolution because I know the majority of Nebraskans don’t support that role for government. Democrats’ proposed budget would offer amnesty to many illegal immigrants, create a federal program for universal pre-K, and hugely expand Medicare and Obamacare subsidies. It would drastically increase the power of Congress’ budget committees (the Senate Budget Committee, which drafted this resolution, is currently chaired by the Senate’s only self-described socialist). And despite adding trillions of dollars to our national debt, it proposes future defense spending levels that amount to a significant cut to national security programs, especially when adjusted for inflation.

This out-of-control spending would be a catastrophe for hardworking Americans, who are already feeling inflation’s harmful effects.

When the resolution came up on the Senate floor, I offered an amendment opposing a tax credit that currently allows Americans with six-figure salaries to claim a deduction for buying an electric vehicle. Most electric vehicles cost a lot more than regular cars, and right now, nearly 80% of EV tax credits are claimed by filers making more than $100,000 a year.

My amendment would limit this credit to those making under $100,000, and only for cars that cost less than $40,000. Nebraskans shouldn’t have to foot the bill for wealthy Californians’ Teslas. Every Republican and three Democrats agreed with me, and my amendment passed.

Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama offered an amendment that would reduce federal funding for local governments that choose to defund the police. It passed unanimously.

Republicans were able to pass several other important amendments, including an amendment that supports immigration enforcement and addressing the humanitarian crisis at the border. Another will prevent renewable energy projects that receive federal funding from buying materials or technology that is produced in China. And an amendment proposed by Senator Joni Ernst will prevent the federal government from imposing any new methane emissions requirements for livestock. This will help protect Nebraska producers from harmful regulations that drive up the cost of beef and other critical products.

The amendments that Republicans passed in the Senate address some of the worst things about this measure, but at the end of the day, it is still a progressive wish list. Trillions in new and unnecessary spending is the last thing we need as we emerge from the pandemic.

Nebraskans know that we don’t need to give government even more control over our lives, and we certainly don’t need to make Washington more powerful than it already is. I appreciate the opportunity to explain why I voted against this resolution.