Miller-Meeks and Nunn weigh in on debt ceiling deal ahead of House vote

WASHINGTON — Two of the four Iowans who serve in the U.S. House say they’re likely to vote for the plan that would slow federal spending in the future and immediately raise the government’s borrowing authority. However, under certain circumstances, they might vote no.

Republican Congresswoman Marianette Miller-Meeks of LeClaire says elements of the plan are common sense, like recouping $30 billion in unspent COVID recovery money.   “COVID relief funds were supposed to be timely, targeted and temporary,” Miller-Meeks says. “They’re not supposed to be ongoing spending funds for agencies, so I think that’s important.”

Miller-Meeks says it’s time to restart the monthly student loan payments that were suspended at the beginning of the pandemic — that’s part of the plan as well. Miller-Meeks says the House G-O-P is proving that it can govern and she plans on supporting the package, unless there are major changes made to it.  “We know that our debt and our deficit is on a trajectory that is unsustainable. It puts us at risk. It’s a national security risk as well, but we also knew that defaulting or a government shutdown was not the way to go, so we put forward a responsible, reasonable plan,” Miller-Meeks says. “It was very pragmatic.”

Congressman Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says he wants an assurance that Senate Democrats will back the plan.  “I think there’s a chance that the Senate could stonewall this thing long enough that we get into a very difficult situation,” Nunn says. “I don’t want any one senator to be the reason the United States defaults for its first time in U.S. history.”

Both Miller-Meeks and Nunn say the plan’s limit on non-defense spending over the next two years is key.  “I think the time has come for us to move forward with a plan that helps drives down national spending and make sure the United States does not default,” Nunn says. “Those are my first two priorities going into it and from this I think there are a lot of good things that can happen.” 

Neither Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion nor Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull have commented on the deal.