Palmer Opposes 2019 Budget Deal

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Elizabeth Hance (202) 225-4921

Palmer Opposes 2019 Budget Deal

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) voted against the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, which moves to increase discretionary spending limits and suspends the national debt limit.

"I fully understand the need to rebuild our military, which was significantly diminished by ill-conceived fiscal policy decisions during the previous administration," Palmer said. "Having served on the House Budget Committee, I supported substantial increases in funding for our military to provide the materials and equipment that our service men and women desperately needed to fulfill their missions. In each of those budgets, the Republican-led Budget Committee met those needs while also providing budgets that reached a balance within our ten-year window.

Palmer continued, "Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, said, ‘The most significant threat to our national security is our debt.' The reason Admiral Mullen stated this should be obvious—a nation that creates unsustainable debt will eventually reach a point where it inflicts irreparable harm on its economy and thus on its future. And, as Admiral Mullen also indicated, out-of-control debt will eventually impact our ability to resource our military to meet our national security requirements.

"It is with the long-term fiscal future of our nation in mind that I voted ‘No' on the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019. It is my hope that members of both parties will put partisan interests aside and show true concern for our national security, both by providing our military with necessary funding and by working toward fiscal security."

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