Biggest threat to America is national debt, congressman tells WVLT
Third District Representative Chuck Fleischmann is seeking his eighth term in office.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Congressman Chuck Fleischman will run for his eighth term in congress in the August primaries and November general election.
Recently, the congressman sat down with WVLT’s Will Puckett to discuss a number of topics, many of them centered around the congressman’s role on the appropriations committee and his work to fund America’s non-mandatory spending.
”We need to be very wise as to where we put these dollars,” said Rep. Fleischmann.
The third district spans from the Tennessee-Georgia border, to the Tennessee-Kentucky border and covers more than 700,000 East Tennesseans.
When it comes to spending, the representative said this country has to be careful where it spends its money, but said a few checks are important to write.
Of those checks, the defense of U.S. allies like Israel.
”I think we need to stand by Israel, fund Israel, make sure the rest of the world recognizes the existence and the legitimacy of the Jewish state,” said Fleischmann.
A hot-button funding topic for many Republicans is the United States support of Ukraine.
Many in his own party argued the U.S. needs to either stop funding Ukraine altogether, or put contingencies on the funding making sure its spent productively. Fleischmann feared if funding for Ukraine were to run dry, Russia would win.
”The fact that a world leader could actually threaten to use a tactical nuclear weapon is rhetoric we can never accept or condone,” said Fleischmann, referring to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
While spending in those two theatres has been a sticking point to some, another issue the congressman said the U.S. needs to pay attention to is China’s movement in Taiwan and what plays out in the Indo-Pacific.
Fleischmann feels the people he talks to day in and day out are optimistic, but among all the threats to the U.S. - one stands out.
“What do you believe is the number one threat to America where you and I sit today,” WVLT News asked the congressman. “National debt,” he responded.
Congressman Fleischmann is running unopposed in the August primary but will face democrat Jack Allen in the November general election.
Copyright 2024 WVLT. All rights reserved.
