In a bold move during the 2023 debt ceiling negotiations, Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert introduced seven amendments to the Biden-McCarthy debt limit bill, formally known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, at a House Rules Committee hearing on May 30, 2023. The legislation, a compromise between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, aimed to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling until January 1, 2025, while imposing modest spending caps and policy changes. Boebert, a vocal critic of the deal, argued that her amendments were essential to curb what she called “out-of-control federal spending” and align the bill with conservative priorities.
Boebert’s amendments sought to address key Republican concerns, though specific details of each were not publicly detailed in the committee’s proceedings. Sources indicate they included proposals to slash funding for programs she deemed wasteful, such as portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, which she criticized for subsidizing “Green New Deal” initiatives. She also pushed for stronger fiscal reforms, like enforceable budget caps and a full rollback of the $80 billion allocated to the IRS for enhanced tax enforcement. Boebert testified that the bill, as drafted, was a “blank check” for Biden, failing to deliver the substantial cuts promised by Republicans during the 2022 midterms.
The House Rules Committee, however, rejected Boebert’s amendments, opting for a closed rule that barred debate on the 80 amendments filed by various lawmakers. This decision drew sharp criticism from Boebert, who accused the committee of stifling conservative voices and bypassing the transparent legislative process Republicans had championed. “The Swamp refused to let us do our jobs,” she stated, lamenting the lack of debate as a betrayal of the GOP’s fiscal responsibility pledges.
Boebert’s actions underscored her alignment with the House Freedom Caucus, which viewed the Biden-McCarthy deal as a concession to Democrats. The bill maintained non-defense spending at near-current levels for 2024, with a 1% increase in 2025, and only rescinded $1.4 billion of the IRS funds—a fraction of what conservatives demanded. Boebert publicly urged her colleagues to vote against the bill, calling it a “bunch of fake news and fake talking points” that failed to address the $6 trillion federal spending level she argued was unsustainable.
Despite her efforts, the bill passed the House on May 31, 2023, with a 314-117 vote, relying heavily on Democratic support. Boebert missed the final vote, later claiming it was a deliberate “no-show protest” against a process she felt sidelined conservative principles. Video evidence, however, showed her running up the Capitol steps as voting closed, prompting speculation about her absence. The Senate approved the bill on June 1, and Biden signed it into law, averting a default. Boebert’s amendments, though unsuccessful, highlighted the deep divisions within the GOP and her commitment to fiscal conservatism, even as critics questioned her effectiveness in translating rhetoric into legislative wins.
