On Saturday, the White House announced that President Joe Biden signed a new law to keep the federal government running and prevent a shutdown.
The law will fund the government until March and includes over $100 billion in assistance for victims of natural disasters Helene and Milton. It also sets aside $10 billion to help farmers.
All Oklahoma lawmakers supported the bill, except for Republican Rep. Josh Brecheen, who represents much of eastern Oklahoma. Brecheen was one of over 30 Republican lawmakers who opposed the bill. Former President Donald Trump, who supports Brecheen, criticized those Republicans for blocking the deal, calling for them to be removed.
This situation arose because of the debate over the debt ceiling, which is the limit on how much the government can borrow.
While raising the debt ceiling used to be a routine process, it has become a point of disagreement among lawmakers. Trump had wanted the debt ceiling raised before he left office in January, but the new law did not include this.
On Dec. 20, Brecheen explained his vote against the bill on social media, saying it increased spending by over $100 billion without making real spending cuts, which he believes is contributing to inflation.
He said his decision was based on his concern for Oklahoma families, farmers, and ranchers who have lost about 20% of their purchasing power since 2020 due to rising costs.