Kansas lawmakers split on debt ceiling deal

WASHINGTON (KSNT)- The U.S. Senate is set to vote on a debt ceiling deal to avoid an unprecedented default. However, as the clock winds down, some lawmakers are split on the agreement reached by the White House and GOP leaders.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kansas said he cannot support the bill in an interview Thursday morning.

“It does not address the true problem, which is our $31 trillion national debt,” Marshall said. “At the end of the day, this legislation does minimal to impact that national debt. We’re going to still be adding around $1.3 trillion of national debt this year. I just don’t think there’s enough in there that I can get behind.”

Marshall said he’s expecting the legislation to pass, but will be offering an amendment to add funding to “build the wall” for border security.

“If we’re going to have $1.3 trillion of national debt, can we have $25 billion, perhaps, to secure the southern border,” he said. “I think, beyond inflation, what Kansans are talking to me about is their safety and security.”

The current debt ceiling agreement suspends the nation’s debt limit through January 1, 2025. It’s not clear when the vote in the Senate will take place. The current goal is to pass the measure by late Friday.

The House voted 314-117 to pass the bill on Wednesday. Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., garnered a “yes” vote from about two-thirds of the Republican conference. But, one of the holdouts included Rep. Tracey Mann, who represents Kansas’ first congressional district.

“While I commend Republican Leadership for taking a much-needed step and putting forward a plan to rein in out-of-control government spending, I did not vote for the legislation that passed the House today,” Rep. Mann said in a statement, regarding Wednesday night’s vote. “Kansans in the Big First sent me to Washington D.C. with a clear mandate – stop the government borrowing and spending spree. Today, America is at $31 trillion in debt, and in a matter of months, we will be at $34 trillion. This must end. Americans deserve a well-thought-out plan for addressing our skyrocketing national debt.”

“For more than 100 days, President Biden stalled, refused to negotiate, and used a looming government default as a bargaining chip.”

Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas

All three other members of the state’s House delegation voted in favor of the plan. That includes Democratic U.S. Representative Sharice Davids and Republican U.S. Representatives Jake LaTurner and Ron Estes.

Rep. Estes said he voted for a return to “fiscal sanity” in a statement released Wednesday.

“We didn’t accumulate $31.4 trillion in debt overnight, and it’s going to take time to undo the fiscal mess we’re in,” Estes said. “The Fiscal Responsibility Act saves taxpayer dollars, implements work requirements, encourages American energy production, and prevents massive new tax hikes, and while I wish it went further, the bill presents the most aggressive spending cuts that will become law that I’ve ever had an opportunity to vote on. I’ll continue fighting for more fiscal reforms to protect taxpayers from Washington’s insatiable desire to spend your money.”

“…While I wish it went further, the bill presents the most aggressive spending cuts that will become law that I’ve ever had an opportunity to vote on.”

Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas

Democratic Representative Sharice Davids said she’s hoping the Senate will move to pass the legislation quickly.

“I voted for a bipartisan agreement to prevent default and save our economy from potential catastrophe,” Davids said in a statement. “This deal is not perfect, but compromise from both sides was necessary to reach a final agreement. It accomplishes the core priorities I pushed for: we agreed to pay our bills, we avoided cuts to Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ benefits, and we agreed to move onto a bipartisan path to address our nation’s budgetary challenges without holding our economy hostage.”

“I hope the Senate can pass this quickly and, moving forward, I stand ready to work with the Republican majority to find common ground in lowering our debt,” she continued. “We can balance our budget with pragmatism – not extremism – by eliminating wasteful spending and closing tax loopholes that allow billion-dollar corporations to avoid paying their fair share.”