Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts criticizes ‘reckless spending’ as shutdown looms

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Three days before a potential government shutdown, Sen. Pete Ricketts shared his thoughts on the current state of Congress and what needs to be done to avoid the shutdown.

Ricketts said Wednesday that it’s important for Congress to control spending, as “reckless spending has left us a national debt of $33 trillion.”

He added that the inflation caused by debt is detrimental to American families.

“With stubbornly high inflation, families across the country – including those on fixed incomes – are tightening their belts to stretch their budgets,” he said. “Congress has a duty to do the same.”

The senator reflected on his time as governor of Nebraska and said the federal government should follow his example.

He said that during his time as governor, “We kept the size of the government small.”

As the government’s deadline nears, he said Congress needs to fund essential services.

“What we don’t need to do is keep throwing money around on partisan causes or unnecessary and wasteful spending,” he said.

Ricketts said conversations about spending should have happened months ago, blaming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for not bringing to the floor 12 spending bills that a committee approved in the summer.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has yet to pass necessary legislation that will survive the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Rep. Mike Flood said Speaker Kevin McCarthy is working to get Republicans on the same page.

“Speaker McCarthy has been working around the clock to bring the very diverse Republican caucus together,” he said in a statement to Channel 8. “I oppose shutting down the government and want to avoid it at all costs as Congress works to pass appropriations bills that adhere to the spending caps both the House and Senate agreed to earlier this year.”