The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a GOP budget resolution that plans for a significant increase in the national debt from $36 trillion to over $56 trillion in the next decade. This resolution also includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. Representative Thomas Massie was the only Republican to vote against this plan, expressing concerns over the budget’s impact on increasing the federal deficit.
Rep. Thomas Massie claims the GOP Budget Resolution, passed by the House this week (around February 25, 2025), raises the debt ceiling from $36 trillion to $40 trillion and sets spending that could increase the national debt to $56 trillion in 10 years.
Massie argues the $2 trillion in cuts is insufficient against $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, and historical GOP behavior (e.g., Trump’s first term adding $7.8 trillion to the debt, per ProPublica) supports skepticism about fiscal restraint. If the resolution enables unchecked deficits averaging $2 trillion annually—higher than the $1.8 trillion FY2024 deficit—$56 trillion is plausible. However, without the full text of the resolution or updated CBO scoring (unavailable as of February 28, 2025), this remains a projection, not a certainty.
- Debt Ceiling: He’s correct—the resolution proposes a $4 trillion increase to $40 trillion, aligning with reported GOP plans.
- Debt Growth: The $56 trillion figure ($20 trillion rise) is possible if spending cuts fail and deficits soar, but it’s higher than baseline estimates (e.g., $54 trillion by CBO). It’s a plausible critique, not a firm fact yet.
- Vote: Massie was the only GOP “no” vote.
The GOP Budget Resolution that passed the House this week increases the debt limit from $36 trillion to $40 trillion, and spends enough $ to increase in the debt from $36 trillion to $56 trillion over the next 10 years. But yay for tax cuts!
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 28, 2025
I’m the only Republican who voted no. pic.twitter.com/WAASjpF98u