BLUFF CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) visited the Bluff City Town Hall on Friday to send off a group of veterans on their way to Washington D.C. as part of the Honor Flight.
After the event, Rep. Harshbarger spoke with News Channel 11 regarding various topics on Capitol Hill.
Harshbarger spoke on the recent issue of the debt ceiling legislation. The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion to avoid the country defaulting.
Time is ticking to get a deal done, with the country potentially defaulting some time in the summer if that deal does not come to fruition. Harshbarger said that the ball is now in the court of the Democrats and President Joe Biden.
“It’s in the Biden administration’s court,” Harshbarger said. “We’ll see what they send back to us.”
Immigration is another key issue that will be a hot topic on Capitol Hill next week. Title 42, a public health order that suspended a migrant’s right to asylum, will end on May 11. The order was put in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harshbarger said that the U.S. does not have operational control of its southern border with Mexico. She said that the House is working on a bill to address the issue at the border.
“We haven’t seen the details, but we do have to do something,” Harshbarger said. “The sovereignty of a nation depends on its borders.”
In terms of online safety, Rep. Harshbarger condemned the use of TikTok in the U.S. She said that one of her committees is working on a bill that would address online safety for Americans.
“My committee, Energy and Commerce, is working on a federal privacy law that would encompass everybody and protect your rights,” Harshbarger said.
Last month, Harshbarger announced her support of presidential candidate Donald Trump’s bid for the White House. She also joined his campaign team.
Harshbarger said that the current leadership at the White House is weak, and she wants to lean on a candidate with proven experience.
“I go with proven experience,” Harshbarger said. “The man did it once, he can do it again.”
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/in-the-news/rep-harshbarger-talks-debt-ceiling-immigration