Daines Will Vote Against Increasing the Debt by $256 Billion

Decision follows the nonpartisan budget scorekeeper announcing the bill will significantly add to the debt

U.S. SENATE —Today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced he will vote against the $1.2 trillion package moving through the Senate after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its analysis showing the bill will increase the federal debt by $256 billion. Daines’ announcement comes after Montanans and the American people were promised the bill would be fully paid for and not increase the debt, during and after negotiations.  

“Montanans were told and promised that this massive, 2,700-page bill would not increase the debt. Unfortunately, according to Congress’ nonpartisan budget scorekeeper, the package not only increases the debt, it increases it by $256 BILLION. This is absolutely unacceptable, especially at a time when Montana families are already dealing with soaring inflation and skyrocketing prices on everything from gas to groceries. What’s worse, Senator Tester, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi will now turn right around and pass another whopping $3.5 trillion in their reckless tax and spend spree bill, filled with tax increases that will hurt Montana families, farmers and ranchers. The Democrats are taking our country in the wrong direction and heaping huge amounts of debt on future generations,” Daines said. 

Background:

Not only does the bill increase the deficit by $256 billion, it also contains several far-left provisions:

• Non infrastructure provisions about sexual orientation and gender identity as a way to redefine the science on gender
• $7.5 billion for installing electric vehicle charging stations, $46 million specifically for Montana when there are less than a thousand EVs in the state
• A pathway for instituting a new tax based on miles driven, which would disproportionally hurt Montanans.

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Contact: Katherine McKeogh, Katie Schoettler