Prioritizing Reining in Our National Debt

Floor Speech

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Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, our national debt has now surpassed $39 trillion, and every second that we fail to address it, that number continues to grow, placing an even greater burden on future generations.

Families across western North Carolina understand just a simple truth: You can't spend money that you don't have. They balance their budgets, make difficult decisions, and expect their government to do the same. Unfortunately, Washington has spent far too long doing just the opposite.

Decades of unchecked spending have left us with rising interest payments, growing deficits, and fewer resources available for the priorities that really matter.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have worked to ensure that we are good stewards of every taxpayer dollar. That means supporting our national defense, strengthening border security, helping communities recover from disasters like Hurricane Helene, and funding the essential functions of government while still looking for every opportunity to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.

Through the fiscal year 2027 appropriations process, House Republicans continued efforts to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars by identifying several savings, reducing unnecessary spending, eliminating wasteful programs, and ensuring funding is focused on the Federal Government's core responsibilities.

We didn't create a $39 trillion debt overnight, and we are not going to solve it overnight, but every responsible spending decision moves us in the right direction.

The American people deserve a government that lives within its means, just as they do every day. It is time to restore fiscal responsibility, reduce the deficit, and leave the next generation with a far stronger financial future.

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