Rep. Burlison accuses GOP colleagues of drunk on spending

Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison accused members of Congress on both sides of the aisle of being drunk on spending other people's money, a characterization he offered in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. The remarks came as the national debt has surpassed $40 trillion and with midterm elections six weeks away.

Burlison stated that securing spending reductions in the Big, Beautiful Bill required fighting tooth and nail, including against members of his own party. He described the current fiscal situation as a hangover that will be painful, noting that inflation is uncontrolled and interest rates are high. He warned that colleagues who resisted voluntary spending cuts will eventually be forced to cut spending.

The Republican representative identified healthcare affordability as the primary issue for his party's messaging. He claimed his office has presented a solution called the Great American healthcare plan to leadership for at least two years, along with a bill addressing housing affordability. Burlison argued that Washington does not like to do difficult things, which prevents the necessary fixes to the healthcare system.

He cited specific premium figures to illustrate the cost burden on families. Burlison noted that in the year 2000, the average American family of four paid $6,000 a year for insurance premiums. He stated that today that cost is $27,000 a year, whereas normal inflation would have put the price at $11,000. He described this as a three-fold excess over normal inflation that crowds out other expenses, making it difficult for young people to buy homes or for families to maintain their current lifestyle.

Burlison expressed disappointment regarding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative led by Elon Musk. While he called DOGE the most exciting thing he has seen in politics, he said he became skeptical after observing colleagues who embraced Musk while voting against spending reductions. He stated that hundreds of amendments to cut spending were submitted to appropriations committees, but every vote to cut spending failed.

The congressman urged Republicans to provide a clear vision to voters rather than simply running against a platform. He proposed a vision focused on fixing healthcare through free market principles and transparent prices. Additionally, Burlison suggested cutting fuel taxes on gas and diesel during the current conflict with Iran. He specified that this would amount to a 40-cent-per-gallon reduction for diesel, which he said would significantly impact people's pocketbooks.