Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) released a video on social media providing a rationale for refusing to vote for the continuing resolution (CR) in order to fund the government.
97 Republicans – including Rep. Mast – voted against the CR as well as two Democrats. The bill passed 320-99.
Rep. Mast pointed out that CRs have been going on for quite a while since Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was Speaker of the House.
I voted NO on the CR because it continues the dangerous agenda set by Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden that has weakened America and sent inflation through the roof.
I will not vote to kick the can down the road again! pic.twitter.com/EfHehFTnuz
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) March 1, 2024
“As you may recall, earlier this year, Congress extended the government funding deadline to March 1 and March 8. This extension, also known as a continuing resolution. What that means is, you resolve to continue funding the government at the levels that they were recently funded at. Now, those continuing resolutions have gone on since Pelosi was Speaker of the House,” said Mast.
He continued, “So, every time we do these continuing resolutions, Congress is resolving to continue funding the government at the levels and with the priorities that Nancy Pelosi funded in them a. Now, just as I did with other votes for this continuing resolution, I voted no because I’m not here in Washington, D.C. to kick the can down the road. The American people put Republicans in charge of the House so that we can reverse Nancy Pelosi’s liberal agenda.”
The Florida congressman concluded by saying that bills such as these are where conservatives need to fight in order to put America first.
“Whether it’s the southern border and not securing it, or whether it’s destroying American energy from the Atlantic to the Pacific due to those disastrous policies that we’re seeing under the Biden administration and the consequences of those things. The crime rates across our country, skyrocketing the inflation going on in America. That’s why we have to change from resolving to continue those problems of Pelosi and Biden and start doing something different. We will only fund putting America number one. And if it’s not that, you’re not going to get the money of the American people,” concluded Rep. Mast.
Florida Republicans who voted against the bill alongside Mast include Representatives Aaron Bean, Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds, Scott Franklin, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills, Bill Posey, Greg Steube, Michael Waltz, and Daniel Webster.
