Folks in Greater Arizona have always had to do more with less. With our national debt at record levels, it is time for Washington to start following our example. I launched my “Do More With Less” Initiative to cut inefficient spending of taxpayer dollars and help pay down the debt, and I am proud to continue to be an independent voice for restoring the fiscal balance.

This Congress needs to start making smart investments and tough choices to cut spending. That is why I opposed a FY2010 appropriations bill that increased spending by almost nine percent and voted for deep cuts to two other spending bills. I also introduced a bill to close the black liquor tax loophole that has cost taxpayers billions and is putting more than 300 jobs at risk in my district alone, and am an original co-sponsor of new pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) legislation.

I have been a strong opponent of bailouts that reward companies and executives for letting us down, and argued against the Troubled Asset Relief Program from the beginning. I am co-sponsoring a nonpartisan bill to enact my proposal that the Treasury Department reduce the debt with returned bank bailout funds, challenging the Administration’s suggestion that we “recycle” the funds  to more failing banks.