Members of the GOP House majority are eyeing unused billions in COVID-19 relief money "sitting in state coffers" from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to help reduce the deficit.
"We are $31.5 trillion in debt. There's about $150 billion that is unobligated funds," Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., told the Washington Examiner. "We should be pulling that back immediately."
According to the Examiner report Tuesday, the House members want the funds to bring spending levels down to pre-pandemic levels.
"There is discussion about clawing back unspent COVID funds but not the specifics on which amounts we're talking about," Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., told the Examiner. "There are some things that Congress overspent, they overestimated the need, and money is just sitting around in these state coffers."
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said that while he would support getting the unobligated money back into the treasury, reclaiming obligated funds likely would require a court challenge.
"I'm happy to go claw back COVID money, but I want some of my Republican colleagues who keep talking about that to show me the dollars and show me the path. Don't get distracted by shiny objects," Roy told the Examiner.
"Yes, there's probably $90 [billion] to $100 billion in unobligated money. Go get it. Fine. I'm for that. But there's obligated, unspent money. If you want to go get that back from the states, be my guest, but you're going to be in court."
While unused COVID-19 money previously appropriated, but not used, is low-hanging fruit, other spending cuts would face a tougher debate, such as for defense.
"I think that the woke military that the Left is trying to create is ripe for cuts, and so we can go there and dive into their budget to try and make strategic cuts," Rep. Ben Cline, R-Okla., told the Examiner. "At the same time, we do need to protect our national security."
Other Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also would like to slow spending by reducing aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
"That's a perfect place to stop spending right there," Greene said. "We can also start reeling in all of this COVID money that's unspent."
House members told the Examiner outlet that they want to use the cuts as leverage in the upcoming debt-limit raise debate, which could further split the Republican party's conference.
"I'm tired of Republicans who don't understand guns and butter," Roy said. "I'm tired of Republicans who want to keep spending money for military without giving a crap about the debt that's piling up around the ears of our kids and grandkids."
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