Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Newsmax on Monday that Congress needs to "prioritize" future spending cuts and "needs to develop this memory" on how to successfully get a rescissions package across the finish line following last week's passage of $9 billion in cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid.
"This is the first time, this successful rescissions package, the first time since President Bush the first, where we've actually done a rescissions package," Marshall said on "Wake Up America." "So, this was a good start to learn. The backdrop of this, $37 trillion of national debt right now, we're going to spend $1 trillion on interest this year. This is the No. 1 threat to my grandchildren's future is this national debt."
Marshall focused on rampant fraud.
"I think what your listeners need to understand is the Government Accounting Office, the Office of Inspector General, has been saying for over a decade now that there is systemic risk for fraud, waste, and abuse in USAID and that's why I asked [former Department of Government Efficiency head] Elon [Musk] to burn it to the ground and start over," he said. "Just to give you a few more examples here, in Zambia, $50 million of medical equipment theft; in New Guinea, $100 million of scandals going on; more recently, $500 million here in the United States where people were skimming and taking bribes — all USAID programs. … So, we have a president that's standing up, identifying fraud. Now, Congress needs to do her job. With 50 votes, we can continue this on the Senate side."
On Friday, the House gave final approval to President Donald Trump's rescissions package, which claws back the $9 billion that was previously approved by Congress. It was the first time in decades that a president has successfully submitted such a request to federal lawmakers, and the Trump White House has signaled it won't be the last.
The Kansas senator, who is also a physician, said he intends to submit a package of bills aimed at healthcare, mental health, nutrition and agriculture.
"What I believe is that healthy soil means healthy food means healthy people," Marshall said. "That when agriculture can focus on soil health, by growing more with less, by using less pesticides, using less water, using modern-day precision agriculture practices, we can make the soil healthier.
"That's going to make the food more nutrient rich, and that's going to lead to healthier people. Look, 90% of the money spent on healthcare in this country is spent on seven chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, those types of things. So, we need to focus in on those chronic diseases, try to prevent them with healthy food, and then treat them with healthy food as well."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.