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U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tennessee, said Tuesday that the $420 trillion debt ceiling bill that was passed by the House was one of the best bills put forward in this Congressional session.

“This absolutely cuts money,” Harshbarger said. “It cuts $420 trillion, with a ‘T’ over 10 years. The whole point is to cut.”

Harshbarger made her remarks in a media availability held before the “Coffee with the Congresswoman” session at Jefferson County High School in Dandridge.

Harshbarger said that the previous Congress had a “pay as you go” system. She calls the bill that passed “Cut and Go.”

“If you’re going to increase the debt limit, you’d better be able to cut some spending,” she said. “We are holding them (Congress) to that. Now it’s in the Senate’s court.”

Harshbarger also talked about mandatory and discretionary spending.

“I think they figured out how to cut discressionary spending,” she said. “If I’m not mistaken, there is lot of talk and negotiations about tying some requirements to some of the Medicaid for able-bodied people. People absolutely want that. (The Democrats) are going to try to misconstrue that, too. Don’t let them tell you that’s not what we put in that debt ceiling because that is the truth. What’s wrong with that? That’s the way it used to be.

“We have to cut the spending. This is beginning the conversation. The Senate has to hold their end of the bargain up without the concessions we won’t concede on.”

Harshbarger also assured members of the media about the future of Social Security.

“They’re going to put a false narrative out that they’re going to cut Medicare or Social Security,” Harshbarger said. “That’s not true. (The left) is going to spin things in a way that makes people begin to worry and wonder about what’s coming up next year (the 2024 Presidential election). Of course, they want to put fear into people. Why do you think (President Biden) is moving to the middle on some things and being far left on others?”

A question was asked why politicians can’t get along with others, especially those from the other party.

“I get along with everybody,” Harshbarger said. “I’m on the energy and commerce committee now and it has the widest jurisdiction of any committee in Congress. It has the most bipartisan support. If you watched any of the hearings with the CEO of Tiktok, you saw how bipartisan the committee is. It was a bipartisan beat-down, basically.

“We can come together on these legitimate things, but there are some things that you have to stop in its tracks and some things you have to discard altogether,” Harshbarger said. “That’s why I wanted on a committee that pushes good legislation forward and also work in a bipartisan way.

“There are bills I put out that we immediately get Democrats to sign on to, that’s called common sense legislation. They’re more willing to work with us than people think, but you don’t see it portrayed that way,” she said.

Harshbarger said that social media platforms amplify “things they want you to hear, and push down the good news.”

Harshbarger hears most from people these days due to inflation issues and people upset by the increased costs of interest rates, groceries, medicines and gasoline.

“I hear, ‘Am I going to be able to buy my groceries or do I have to decide between gas and groceries?’” Harshbarger said. “These are worrisome things that I hear.”

Harshbarger said that there are two million jobs out there for graduates to be able to begin their careers in.

“Anybody who wants to work can work,” she said. “It’s the participation rate that is so pathetic in young men. That’s where it’s at. They are sitting at home making money.”