Ossoff: Continued federal spending required for 'economic competitiveness'

(The Center Square) — While the country's fiscal trajectory is "clearly unsustainable," the feds must keep investing in infrastructure despite the burgeoning national debt, a senator from Georgia said Monday.

In his remarks during an "armchair chat" at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce's Marquee Monday event at The Battery Atlanta near Smyrna, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, touched on topics ranging from infrastructure spending to military legislation to fixing the United States Post Office. During a media briefing following his remarks, the federal lawmaker doubled down on the need for continued federal spending.

"The long-term fiscal trajectory for the country is clearly unsustainable," Ossoff said in response to a question from The Center Square about whether it's time to have a more serious conversation on the national debt. "It's also unsustainable for the United States to neglect for decade after decade after decade, the quality of our public infrastructure.

"So, we're talking about getting lead pipes out of drinking water systems, expanding broadband internet access in rural areas, upgrading seaports, airports, roads, bridges," Ossoff added. "All of that is necessary for our long-run economic growth and economic competitiveness."

The Center Square reported last week that the federal government borrowed roughly $5 billion every day in fiscal year 2024. Last month, the national debt surpassed $35 trillion, as federal lawmakers continue to spend and show no signs of working to balance the federal budget.