Diaz-Balart Urges Completion of Appropriation Bills

With the House of Representatives coming back into session soon, the Republican majority has two weeks to complete appropriations bills, especially for southern border security.

Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) appeared on Fox Business's Mornings with Maria to discuss, saying if they are not produced in time, "We are embedding into law for another year the Nancy Pelosi radical Democrat policies."

Rep. Diaz-Balart said five weeks to compose appropriations bills were lost due to the lengthy election of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other circumstances, although the Appropriations Committee has passed them out of committee.

"So now it is an issue of having to pass them off the floor. And here is the important thing: These bills must pass so we can negotiate with the Senate. If these bills do not pass, if we do not negotiate with the Senate, and we are stuck with a long-term continuing resolution, we are embedding into law for another year the Nancy Pelosi radical Democrat policies," added Rep. Diaz-Balart.

Host Maria Bartiromo pointed out that Representative Matt Rosendale (R-MT) stated earlier on the show that he would refuse to vote for a continuing resolution and keep spending, which led Bartiromo to ask if this would create a new fight between Speaker McCarthy and other House Republicans.

"Because again, we need to pass the appropriation bills," answered Diaz-Balart, "To put us in the best position to negotiate with a lot of leverage against the Senate."

Furthermore, despite the bills' perception as "imperfect," Diaz-Balart called them "the strongest opposition bills, the most conservative appropriation bills in history," and implored his fellow House Republicans, "Are you willing to accept another year of the Green New Deal and all of the leftwing trash that is in the current bills? If you do not like those, we have to pass these bills, which may not be perfect, but they are highly conservative. That would put us in a strong position to negotiate."

This led Bartiromo to mention Presidential candidate Nikki Haley's endorsement of using military action against the drug cartels and what appropriation bills contain provisions for the border. Diaz-Balart called Haley "absolutely right" and affirmed border security was part of the House's appropriation bill plans.

Grayson Bakich

Florida born and raised, Grayson Bakich is a recent recipient of a Master’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Central Florida. His thesis examined recent trends in political polarization and how this leads into justification of violence.