Congressmen: ‘Cliff’ bill does not tackle spending
Although Congress avoided significant tax increases and budget cuts associated with self-imposed sequestration measures, Mississippi’s representatives say Tuesday’s agreement does not solve America’s most pressing problem: runaway spending.
The U.S. temporarily avoided going over the “fiscal cliff” when House and Senate members reached a bipartisan tax agreement. The measure also delays budget cuts to numerous domestic and military agencies for two months.
“While neither Democrats nor Republicans got everything they wanted, this agreement is the right thing to do for our country,” President Barack Obama said in a statement Tuesday. “There’s more work to do to reduce our deficits, and I’m willing to do it. But (Tuesday’s) agreement ensures that, going forward, we will continue to reduce the deficit through a combination of new spending cuts and new revenues from the wealthiest Americans.”
Mississippi’s three Republican House members — U.S. Reps. Gregg Harper, Alan Nunnelee and Steven Palazzo — all voted against the measure, while U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, voted in favor of the agreement.
Harper said Wednesday his vote was an obvious “No” because the bill does not tackle the real problems associated with the ever-increasing national debt, entitlement reforms and private sector job creation.
Starkville Daily News
1/2/13
Magnolia Tribune
