Brooks: Budget bill is like a ‘sick patient’ getting pain meds instead of a cure

Congressman Brooks (R-AL 5) addressing the House over debt ceiling bill

WASHINGTON — Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL5) raised concerns in the U.S. House Wednesday over the last-minute debt ceiling deal he says would fail the American people. The bipartisan budget would suspend the current $18.1 trillion debt limit through March 2017.

Brooks addressed the House calling the deal “out-of-control,” citing that the nation already suffers from a $18 trillion debt, and this 144-page debt ceiling bill would fail in addressing the real problems.

The proposed budget, a compromise between Obama’s White House and Republican leadership, increases both domestic and national defense spending by $80 billion over the next two years while promising cuts years and even decades down the road to make up the difference.

“Mr. Speaker, today’s debt ceiling bill is akin to a sick patient going to the emergency room and getting pain-killing drugs that help the patient feel better . . . yet do nothing to cure the disease that ultimately kills the patient. In the real world, that’s medical malpractice. Similarly, a debt ceiling increase that makes us feel better but does little to nothing to cure our debt addiction is governing malpractice.”

Congressman Brooks joins Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) , and other conservatives, who are voicing their concerns over the bad deal.

“The people want an end to wasteful Washington spending. Lifting the budget caps and raising the debt ceiling through 2017 only ensures that our ineffective bureaucracy continues its wasteful ways while momentum in Washington for debt reduction stalls out. It eliminates a powerful opportunity to advance the case for financial discipline,” said Sessions.

Brooks continues on saying that he encourages others in Washington to stand up and be financially responsible. Citing that the first step to take in doing that would be to defeat the debt bill that would “kick the can down the road” to 2017.

Brooks concluded by saying he will vote against the last-minute debt deal.

“I urge my colleagues to be financially responsible, do the same, and insist that the debt ceiling be raised only if we simultaneously fix America’s addiction to deficit spending. Today’s debt ceiling bill fails that benchmark. It threatens America. It should be defeated.”

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— John James (@john_james_20) August 19, 2015