2 Republicans on opposite sides of debt bill say it could be first step towards cutting spending

Georgia GOP Congressmen Austin Scott and Mike Collins say that 2024 could be the year that the Republican-controlled House can make strides in trimming money. 

"This is one piece of legislation that is a small step in the right direction," Scott said in reference to the debt ceiling bill on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show Wednesday. "We as Republicans have to be willing to take small victories if we're going to govern. The Democrats have done that for years and moved the ball in the wrong direction. We have to take small victories and move the ball in the right direction."

"[G]oing forward, if we do our job in the appropriations process, we can reduce spending as Republicans," he added.

Scott described himself as neutral on the debt deal that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made with President Joe Biden.

Dozens of House Republicans have publicly expressed disapproval over McCarthy's deal with Biden. They say that the deal fails to cut enough spending and effectively raises the debt limit by $4 trillion, rather than the $1.5 trillion that the House voted for.

Collins, who is opposed to the deal, agreed that 2024 may be the year that the GOP-controlled House can use an appropriations bill to create cuts that the current deal doesn't achieve. 

"That's the next step," Collins answered on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show, when asked about the appropriations bill option. "Once we get past this week, we've got a budget that's sitting there ready to go. We've got our appropriation bills already in progress."

Scott said that if Congress does their job, the national debt won't go up as much as predicted.

"Let me assure you, if we do our job as Republicans in the Appropriations Committee and spend less money, then the national debt won't go up as much as some have projected," he said.