Rep. Austria leaves D.C. disgusted

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDTN) - Outgoing Representative Steve Austria expressed disgust as he spoke with 2 NEWS before leaving Washington. Austria was about to board a plane in Washington bound for Ohio as he explained why he voted "no" to a budget bill that averted going over the "fiscal cliff."

"Many of us felt that this bill did not address the real problem of spending, borrowing money we don't have and running up a huge debt.  All it did was increase taxes, increase spending within the bill itself. All it did was
kick the can down the road for the future Congress, the next Congress to have to deal with," the Republican said.

Congressman Austria said, "You can't spend like drunken sailors in Washington, you've got to get the spending under control. We don't have a revenue problem we have a spending problem."

Austria leaves office after serving four years in Congress.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-8th) voted in favor of the bill, but sent a statement, "Without meaningful reform of entitlements, real spending controls, and a fairer, cleaner tax code, our debt will grow, and our economy will continue to stumble."

Representative Jim Jordan (R-4th) stated the following, "The one bright spot of this bill is that it makes permanent most of the tax relief Republicans have championed for more than a decade.  Unfortunately, it also allows taxes to increase for many families and small businesses."

Congressman Mike Turner (R-3rd)  told 2 NEWS he's disappointed, as is Rep. Austria, that sequestration was put off because it leaves uncertainty for those at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and defense contractors with whom they do business.