President Joe Biden on Monday unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal year 2023, which holds a price tag of $5.8 trillion.
The president has received immense criticism from Republicans, who say the proposal does not call for allocating adequate funding for matters relating to national security.
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa), vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its subcommittee on defense, took issue with Biden’s proposed defense spending not keeping pace with the current inflation rate.
“After his budget request last year was roundly rejected in Congress, the President has again proposed a fiscal blueprint that overspends on wasteful domestic programs and fails to adequately provide for our nation’s defense,” declared Shelby. “In other words, more of the same. The Biden budget increases non-defense spending by nearly $100 billion while defense spending does not even keep pace with the skyrocketing rate of inflation. Also, as illegal border crossings occur at record rates, the President actually proposes a cut in spending for border security.”
He added, “We live in an increasingly dangerous world. Today’s security environment demands a level of investment that will meet and defeat the threat. It’s time for the Administration to get serious about addressing the threat posed by Russian aggression and the growing worldwide ambitions of the People’s Republic of China. I am disappointed that the Administration chose not to build on Congress’s FY22 bipartisan work. Once again, this request puts us on the wrong foot to start the fiscal year 2023 cycle, and it does not bode well for the coming appropriations process.”
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, touched on the growing threats posed to U.S. national security and called for increased military investment.
“Our nation faces grave threats at home and abroad, none of which are adequately addressed in President Biden’s budget,” proclaimed Tuberville. “The world tests our resolve every day as Russia continues its war in Ukraine, China eyes Taiwan, and malign actors from North Korea to Iran race to expand their arsenals. Yet President Biden’s budget ignores reality and shortchanges our men and women in uniform. The president’s budget proposal, accounting for inflation, cuts our defense budget at a time when real growth is needed. We cannot ask our military to choose between maintenance and modernization or investment and deterrence. But that’s exactly what the president’s budget proposal does.”
“This budget is equally problematic on the domestic front,” he continued. “Gimmicks and smoke screens are used to hide the true cost of expanding social programs and prioritizing clean energy policies that will continue to strain Americans’ bank accounts and fuel inflation. New taxes will offshore American jobs and investment. At a time when Americans are paying more for almost everything and our economy is struggling, we need a budget that seriously addresses inflation – this does not. It’s clear that the Biden administration would rather dramatically expand social programs, champion so-called climate justice, and add taxes on the backs of job creators than support our defense and address surging inflation.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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