Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) issued a statement sounding the alarm on the national debt surpassing $40 trillion this week.
When it Happened
The debt surpassed the $40 trillion mark on Tuesday, roughly doubling since 2017.
Notably, the United States spends more on interest payments than on national defense and Medicare, although the debt cannot be pinned on a single Presidential administration or Congress.
Instead, a combination of reduced tax revenues and disruptions such as the Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 is a major reason the debt is so high, although the long-term consequences remain uncertain.
What Biggs is Saying
Nevertheless, Rep. Biggs issued a statement, saying, "It was fitting that America reached this grim debt milestone while legislators were absent from our nation's capital."
"For decades, Members of Congress have shown catastrophic unseriousness about reining in government spending and leaving a better future for the next generation," Rep. Biggs continued. "Regardless of which party controls Congress, I have sounded the alarm on this fiscal cliff since I entered the U.S. House of Representatives and have introduced legislation to help solve this crisis. Our children and grandchildren will be forced to suffer the immense consequences of this inaction and fear of making tough decisions. No one should be surprised when that time arrives for our great nation."
Efforts to Reduce the Debt
Last January, Rep. Biggs introduced a slate of bills to drastically shrink the federal government, one of which is a proposal to add an Amendment to the United States Constitution requiring a balanced budget, meaning the government can only spend the money it brings in tax revenue.
"The federal government has expanded far beyond what our founders intended," the Arizona congressman previously said. "President Trump, Elon Musk, and congressional Republicans must be dedicated to shrinking the size of the government and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are utilized as efficiently as possible. America voted for major government reform, and Congress must be ready to deliver President Trump's agenda."
