[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 200 (Tuesday, December 5, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H6117]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TIME TO CUT SPENDING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our national debt 
eclipsed $33.8 trillion. This means that we have now crossed a 
dangerous new threshold of over $100,000 of debt for every man, woman, 
and child in the United States.
  This rampant and wasteful spending has only been made worse by 
President Biden's reckless budgets that have led to soaring inflation 
and more pain for Pennsylvanians.
  From canceling student loans to handing out cash reimbursements for 
electric vehicles, Joe Biden has shown that he is more worried about 
appeasing his far-left base than our financial well-being.
  In the past year, the average family was forced to pay an additional 
$11,000 to cover the cost of just everyday goods.
  It is time to cut spending and stop borrowing from China to pay for 
reckless liberal policies.
  The trillions of dollars that we pay in interest on this debt does 
nothing to keep our Nation safe. It does nothing to fund Medicare. It 
does nothing to secure our open southern border.
  It is time to pass a Federal budget that addresses our debt and puts 
an end to the mismanagement of our finances brought on by President 
Biden's Green New Deal initiatives.


          Biden Administration Imposes Burdensome Regulations

  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, far too often, we have seen 
the Biden administration impose onto American energy producers 
burdensome regulations that only serve to drive up costs and limit 
production.
  Instead of turning to power sources like natural gas, oil, or 
propane, President Biden has focused his attention on using taxpayer 
dollars to subsidize inadequate and unreliable projects like windmills 
and solar farms.
  In places without gas pipelines, which have been difficult to build 
due to the President's own actions, power alternatives like propane can 
be a vital tool in order to keep refrigerators cold and our homes warm.
  We have heard from experts who have testified to the dangers of 
potential rolling blackouts this winter as our grid struggles to meet 
demand without the aid of coal-fired plants that have been a 
cornerstone of our energy production literally for decades. As we look 
to confront these potential blackouts, it is critical that we utilize 
energy resources that are so abundant in Pennsylvania.

  We cannot afford to waste any more time investing in Green New Deal 
initiatives. It is time to return to our baseload power and ensure that 
our families are protected from energy blackouts.

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