Spartz says she’ll consider resigning from Congress

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) announced that she’ll consider resigning from her position if Congress does not create a debt commission by the end of this year. 

“I’ve done many very difficult things being one woman standing many times with many very long hours and personal sacrifices, but there is a limitation to human capacity,” Spartz said in a Monday statement. 

“If Congress does not pass a debt commission this year to move the needle on the crushing national debt and inflation, at least at the next debt ceiling increase at the end of 2024, I will not continue sacrificing my children for this circus with a complete absence of leadership, vision, and spine,” she added.  “I cannot save this Republic alone.”

Spartz is among the supporters of debt commission legislation introduced last week by Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), who co-chair the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum (BFF).

Her threat to resign comes two days after Congress averted a government shutdown with the passing of a “clean” stopgap funding bill, which will keep the government funded until Nov. 17. Spartz was among 90 Republicans who voted against the measure.

The continuing resolution includes $16 million in disaster relief funding, a figure the White House proposed in its supplemental request, but it doesn’t include Ukraine aid or border policy changes. 

In an interview with Indianapolis-based The CW affiliate WISH-TV, Spartz criticized the measure and said she was open to fellow Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) push to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

“This deal has more money, actually more money than Nancy Pelosi gave to Biden, but doesn’t have a plan to deal with the country’s crushing debt,” Spartz told the affiliate. “[The debt] is a very important national security issue, but unfortunately Republicans didn’t have the backbone to put it forward.”

Spartz, a Ukrainian-born lawmaker, announced earlier this year that she will not run for reelection in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District.

“I won a lot of tough battles for the people and will work hard to win a few more in the next two years. However, being a working mom is tough and I need to spend more time with my two high school girls back home, so I will not run for any office in 2024,” Spartz said in a statement at the time.