Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) blasted the passage of the 45 day Continuing Resolution that included no spending cuts and failed to properly increase funding for U.S. border security.
The bill passed the House on Saturday in a 335 to 91 vote, then passed the Senate in an 88 to 9 vote, and was signed into law by President Biden just hours before the midnight deadline on Saturday, when funding for the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year. The bill continues funding the government at 2022-2023 levels until November 15.
Late Saturday, Hagerty tweeted, “During negotiations around a Continuing Resolution, I made very clear that I wouldn’t support any short-term funding bill that didn’t include serious border-security measures to help put an end to the Biden Border crisis, and I’m keeping that commitment.”
During negotiations around a Continuing Resolution, I made very clear that I wouldn’t support any short-term funding bill that didn’t include serious border-security measures to help put an end to the Biden Border crisis, & I’m keeping that commitment. (1/2)
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) October 1, 2023
“My colleagues know that I’ve worked my heart out to this end, and I look forward to working with them over the next 45 days to accomplish this critical goal,” Hagerty continued.
As The Tennessee Star reported on Saturday, both Sen. Hagerty and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) voted against the Continuing Resolution in the Senate.
Notably, six of Tennessee’s nine members voted against the Continuing Resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives.
With both U.S. Senators and two-thirds of the state’s U.S. House delegation voting against the Continuing Resolution, Tennessee recorded the highest level of opposition to the fiscally reckless budget measure of any state in the entire country.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN-2) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-5) have been among the most vocal critics of the 45 day Continuing Resolution sprung on the House of Representatives on Saturday in a surprise move by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California. Both Burchett and Ogles have recently made that criticism known on Stephen K. Bannon’s WarRoom.
“They’re going to have to get Democrat votes,” Burchett told Bannon on Saturday just minutes before the House vote.
“In the 70s they passed a law . . . Congress is supposed to pass 12 appropriations bills plus the budget. Guess what? We’re not doing that,” he continued.
“I hate the thought of a shut down . . . but, if we do not get control of this fiscal situation, if we do not quit taking in $5 trillion and spending $7 trillion . . .this whole system will collapse,” Burchett added.
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Michael Patrick Leahy is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
