WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Braun joined Fox and Friends this morning to criticize President Joe Biden for going overseas to seek help with rising U.S. gas costs instead of promoting American energy production, and funds from the American Rescue Plan Act which was called a “COVID relief” being spent on “woke” social justice projects and kicking off a wave of inflation.
Partial Transcript Below:
On American Energy Independence
“When you look at what we’re doing now, groveling over there, asking them to increase their supply—and by the way most places are producing at full tilt because of the high price—I mean it just doesn’t make sense. It frustrated me because in running anything, including this biggest business of the federal government, you’ve got to be smart enough to mix what you need to do in the short run even if it’s counter to your long-term goals. We should never have shot ourselves in the foot by eliminating our energy ascendancy and now have to go over and beg folks like Saudi Arabia.”
On Misuse of COVID funding
“Brian, there is so much money sloshing around in that $2 trillion bill – only 10% of it went to COVID. We’re going to see more and more of this over time. It’s part of the inflation bomb. Now we’re seeing how it’s blowing up around the country with stuff like this. It’s no good. We’ve asked them to tell us what is left unspent: What do you have rat-holed away? … We’re going to see it little by little, because they know if they did it all at once, it would shock everybody big time. They’re not going to pull it off. We are going to watch and sadly there is going to be more of it.”
BACKGROUND:
Senator Braun was part of an effort by GOP Senators to get an accounting of how the American Rescue Plan Act’s $2 trillion have been spent, and how much is left unspent.
Senator Braun called for “COVID relief” money that was spent on ballparks, ski-slopes, and luxury hotels to be repaid and returned to taxpayers.
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