Rockford-area official says temporary spending bill 'kicks can down the road'

Although U.S. President Joe Biden signed a stopgap spending bill Thursday that temporarily prevented a government shutdown, one local congressman says the plan does nothing to address a much bigger issue.

“The problem is, we continue to be about $34 trillion in debt,” U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, said Friday during a stop at the Stockholm Inn in Rockford.

Biden signed the bill a day after it passed the Senate with an 87-11 vote. The House approved it 336-95. LaHood voted no.

“We are not getting our fiscal house in order,” LaHood said. “To give you an example, this year, for FY23, the federal government is going to bring in about $5 trillion. And we are going to spend $7 trillion. That’s $2 trillion that we don’t have. We can’t function like that.”

LaHood said he wants to see a plan that includes steps to reduce spending, one that stops the federal government from doing what he calls governing through temporary resolutions.

“Families, every month, have to meet a budget. City councils have to meet a budget. Small businesses have to meet a budget, and the federal government should also have to do that.”

By signing the bill, the president ended, at least for now, the third fiscal stalemate of the year. Had the bill not passed out of the Senate, Washington would have likely defaulted on its national debt and halted pay for the more than 3 million federal employees.

The measure allows some functions of government to remain open until January, others until February.

“We are really kicking the can down the road,” LaHood said. “That’s part of the reason why I voted against it. We can’t keep doing this the same way and expecting a different result.”

LaHood was in Rockford Friday to speak to area residents, members of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce and community leaders.

He represents Illinois 16th Congressional District, which includes Boone, Stephenson and Winnebago counties.

Jim Hagerty covers business, growth and development and general news for the Rockford Register Star. Email him at jhagerty@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: US Rep. Darin LaHood makes stop at Rockford's Stockholm Inn