Suffolk Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On May 31, 2023, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) voted in favor of H.R. 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 314 - 117. Following the vote, Rep. Garbarino released a statement:

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act cuts spending by $2.1 trillion over the next 6 years, returns non-defense discretionary spending to Fiscal Year 2022 levels, and rescinds millions of unobligated COVID funds, all to save taxpayer dollars and mandate a more measured and responsible approach to federal appropriations. The out of control spending we experienced over the last two years caused record inflation that has devastated Long Island families. True to its name, this bill intends to limit federal spending growth to 1% annually over the same 6 year period. In addition to stabilizing spending levels, this bill will also spur economic growth by getting Americans back to work and instituting permitting reforms so we can produce more energy here at home, lower energy costs, and better compete with China and other advisories. Perhaps most importantly, the Fiscal Responsibility Act allows us to fulfill our commitments, fund the government, and ensure essential government functions – like paying our troops and sending Social Security checks out on time –continue uninterrupted. This is a good government bill built through bipartisan compromise that is required of a divided government. I thank Speaker McCarthy for his diligence is demanding Democrats come to the negotiating table to reach a deal that restores the United States to a posture of fiscal responsibility for the benefit of all Americans.”

In addition to suspending the debt limit through January 1, 2025, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, among other things, would:

• Establish caps on discretionary spending from Fiscal Years 2024 through 2025.
• Save taxpayer dollars by recinding certain unobligated COVID funding and certain funding provided for the Internal Revenue Service in the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Fully fund critical veterans programs and national defense priorities while preserving Social Security and Medicare. 
• Accelerate energy projects and cut costs with the first significant reform to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) since 1982.
• Compel a functioning appropriations process by imposing a temporary 99% CR-level cap until all 12 appropriations bills are enacted.

Read the text of the bill here.

Original source can be found here.