A Controlled, Responsible Budget

by the Idaho Congressional Delegation

The President will submit his budget for Fiscal Year 2006 to Congress this month. Spending restraint will be the key phrase; as the President stated in December "we're going to submit a tough budget." As fiscal conservatives, we applaud the President's resolve and look forward to working with him to protect our economy and reduce the budget deficit. As former members of the Idaho Legislature, we carry with us the important example of pay-as-you-go government that our state has a long and honorable history of practicing.

The federal government needs to exercise the same discipline familiar to the Idaho Legislature and working families everywhere. Most of us, in the course of our lives, have experienced the need to tighten our belts - eating at home when we'd rather eat out, buying generic, and putting purchases on hold. This self-control builds character, makes it easier to afford what we need in the future and improves our appreciation of the better times. For the federal government as well as the working family, self-control today means avoiding bankruptcy tomorrow.

On both sides of Capitol Hill, your Idaho delegation is well positioned to fight for a responsible federal budget. Senator Crapo serves on both the Senate Budget and Senate Finance Committees. Senator Craig and Congressman Simpson serve on the Appropriations Committees in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. Congressman Otter remains a consistently outspoken advocate for fiscal responsibility in all his legislative efforts. Together, we will bring Idaho's common-sense principles of fiscal responsibility to bear on our national budget.

Of course, that approach must include acknowledging economic realities and working within those boundaries. We are at war. We have Americans in harm's way, and it is our highest duty and obligation to protect them. Domestic security is crucial as well. We are fighting terror overseas so we don't have to fight it in our back yard. The fact that we are a nation that embraces freedom means that we always face some degree of risk, but it also means supporting the programs that mitigate that risk.

The current round of deficits began with a cyclical recession, compounded by the burst of the stock market bubble, terror attacks and the need to defend our country against further attacks. They were also fed in some years by past Congresses that locked in too much spending growth. The numbers are sobering. Right now, interest payments on the gross, accumulated public debt consume 13 percent of all federal spending. By 2015, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will account for 55 percent of all federal spending. Even so, we can and we must effectively manage and transform these and other programs to meet the economic challenges of the 21st century. The best way to exercise fiscal responsibility is to evaluate federal programs with an eye to making government leaner. That doesn't mean slash now and ask questions later. It means examining the effectiveness of all government programs and trimming waste and abuse while ensuring essential government services.

Within the framework of a responsible budget, we remain committed to fighting for Idaho priorities and programs which promote such national priorities as energy and defense research and development, education, agriculture, law enforcement and necessary social services. We can control spending and reduce deficits without threatening our economic recovery. A prudent approach to our budget in these tight economic times will ensure that we do not burden our children with debt. A balanced federal budget will safeguard our future and theirs. Idahoans know: When you have debts to pay, it is your responsibility to make the necessary sacrifices. We understand the importance of this priority and will work to keep reducing the federal deficit while preserving our recovering economy.

A Controlled, Responsible Budget

by the Idaho Congressional Delegation

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