Middle class families and small businesses across Minnesota know that the key to balancing a budget is paying for what you spend and making smart, targeted investments for the future. I believe government needs to adhere to the same principles and as we move toward economic recovery, we need to put our country back on the path to fiscal discipline as well.

I have been a strong supporter of pay-as-you-go rules in the House and I support H.R. 2920, which would strengthen those rules and put our nation back on the path to fiscal responsibility. The principle here is simple: Congress should pay for what it spends. These are the same rules that lead to a budget surplus in the 1990’s.

One of my most important responsibilities is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent in a wise and efficient way. I voted against the Wall Street bailout because I did not believe that legislation was a good use of taxpayer dollars and I will continue to consider the budgetary impact of all legislation considered in the House.

Since first coming to office, I have turned down my congressional pay raise and have returned it to the U.S. Treasury to heap pay down the national debt. I have also returned over $125,000 to the U.S. Treasury from my office budget.