The nation’s debt load can be felt from city to country. While the Farm Bill is a big priority for lawmakers, Senator Pete Ricketts says something has to be done to solve the government’s money problems.
“Our deficit this year will be $1.9 trillion, and the interest on the federal debt is now the second biggest line item in our budget. It’s the fastest growing part, too, $982 billion more than we spend on defense or anything else. So we’ve got to get back to a place where we are doing regular appropriations process. We got to work. Chuck Schumer is not having his work, he said. You know, he sits on these bills. He doesn’t bring them up to be able to be voted on or amended. And we can also do things like pass a balanced budget amendment or fiscal, say the Nation Act, which would give a financial report and stuff, to be able to help us get our hands around us.”
Lawmakers return to Washington on September 9th. They are expected to start work on unfinished appropriations bills first before turning their attention to areas like the Farm Bill.
