SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - President-elect Donald Trump proclaimed during the campaign that the government could pay down the national debt, now at $19.4 trillion dollars, in four years.
Senator Mike Rounds says Congress has to get control of the federal budget first.
Rounds says the country has to grow its way out of the debt. He says we can't just continue spending in the mandatory payments "without any management of it."
Rounds says a four year pay-down is a tall order.
He says he's not sure that's feasible. But unless the economy really takes off again so the government has revenues coming in and slow down the spending in the "mandatory end of things."
Rounds says the economy also must be more robust for debt repayment.
He says if the nation allows debt to continue to increase at an exorbitant rate, and the gross domestic product does not increase, "then we've got real problems."
Rounds says Congress plans to address the budget early in the next session.
