Rep. Massie sports activities selfmade nationwide debt clock badge amid debt ceiling combat

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was noticed sporting a selfmade nationwide debt clock badge within the halls of Congress on Tuesday night amid an ongoing partisan battle over elevating the debt ceiling.

Massie was seen by reporters sporting the makeshift badge as Washington faces a renewed combat over lifting the debt ceiling, together with proposals to permit the federal government to borrow with none restrict set by Congress.

Politico reported that Massie constructed the badge himself out of a mix of roofing copper and a microprocessor over the course of about three days. He informed the outlet that he pulled the information from “about 400 traces of code” on the Treasury Division’s web site.

The federal government hit the debt ceiling — at the moment set at $31.38 trillion — final week. Home Republicans have referred to as for commitments to chop again on the enlargement of federal spending, which has grown underneath each Republican and Democratic administrations.

US DEBT CEILING FORCES TREASURY INTO ‘EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES’

Nonetheless, Democrats have accused Republicans of “weaponizing” the debt ceiling as a part of funds negotiations, risking U.S. financial well being within the course of by bringing it near default.

“The federal government has an obligation to pay its payments,” Rep. Invoice Foster, D-Sick., mentioned this week. “Threatening to default on our debt is identical as ordering an costly meal at a restaurant, consuming it and skipping out with out paying. We will and will have an actual dialog about total spending, however the full religion and credit score of america mustn’t ever be compromised.”

Republicans, in the meantime, have referred to as on the White Home to assist negotiate a deal that reduces spending and mentioned it was “disappointing” that up to now President Joe Biden has not intervened. Additionally they argued that congressional approval of latest spending packages is what has repeatedly pressured the federal government to maintain hitting its borrowing restrict, which has then pressured Congress to maintain elevating the debt ceiling.

DEMOCRATS PUSH TO ELIMINATE DEBT CEILING, ALLOW UNLIMITED GOVERNMENT BORROWING

“It is very disappointing,” Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy informed reporters this week. “Right here’s the chief of the free world pounding on a desk, being irresponsible, saying, ‘No, no, no, simply elevate the restrict.’”

CONSERVATIVES SHARPEN THEIR SPEARS FOR HISTORIC DEBT CEILING FIGHT

Biden met with Democratic leaders on Tuesday and took purpose at Republicans over the combat.

“Look, I’ve no intention of letting the Republicans wreck our financial system,” Biden mentioned.

The federal authorities spent $4.Four trillion in fiscal yr 2019, simply earlier than COVID hit. It spent $6.5 trillion in fiscal yr 2020, $6.eight trillion in fiscal yr 2021 and $6.three trillion in fiscal yr 2022.

Fox Information’ Peter Kasperowicz and the Related Press contributed to this report.

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