Indiana’s two Republican Senators split on debt ceiling vote

(Washington, D.C.) – Indiana’s two Senators went in opposite directions when it came to the vote on the Fiscal Responsibility Act late Thursday night.

Todd Young was one of 63 Senators who voted in favor of the debt ceiling bill but with reservations.

“This legislation makes modest but substantive spending and budget reforms, and it ensures that the United States will not default on our debt obligations,” Young said. “Given that Republicans do not control the White House or the Senate and have only a slim majority in the House, this bill does not go as far as I and many others would like. This legislation is a compromise that should be just an initial step toward addressing our nation’s fiscal challenges.

“Ultimately, if we want to truly tackle our debt and spending problems, we must re-open serious, bipartisan conversations about reforms to the mandatory spending programs that make up two-thirds of the federal budget,” Young added.

Meanwhile, his fellow Republican Mike Braun was among the 36 who voted no.

“This deal makes our current bloated spending levels the new baseline going forward, setting us further down the path to financial ruin,” Braun said. “We need deep spending cuts, and Congress shouldn’t get paid until we deliver a real budget that seriously addresses our massive debt. There’s more drama here than usual but sadly the play is going to end the same way: the big spenders in both parties getting together to increase the size of the federal government.”

The bill now heads to President Biden for his signature.