Fighting for Common Sense and Fiscal Responsibility in Washington

By Congressman Todd Platts

Over the course of my service in Congress, I have often reflected that the “surreal world” inside the Washington beltway is far removed from the real world of Central Pennsylvania. My ability to return to my home in York each night following the close of session in the House of Representatives has allowed me to stay well grounded in the common-sense values of our region. These values are all too often missing from the decision-making process in Congress.

Three actions, which were championed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional and Administration leaders just prior to Christmas, demonstrate just how out-of-touch decision makers in Washington are with the real world values of everyday Americans. These actions include: increasing our nation’s debt ceiling for the fifth time in the past year-and-one-half; planning to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on transferring terrorists currently detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to a detention facility in Illinois; and, passing health care legislation that will raise taxes and cut Medicare benefits for seniors.

Spending and the National Debt

The annual federal budget deficit is at historically high levels - 10% of the overall economy. Since Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House of Representatives, Congress has voted five times to increase the national debt limit by 39%, which now stands at $12.4 trillion.

I voted against the most recent increase in the debt ceiling (H.R. 4314), as well as the previous four increases. I also opposed out-of-control spending that caused the enormous debt increase - including the Wall Street and automobile manufacturer bailouts, the $1.2 trillion stimulus bill, and the recently-passed omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 3288). H.R. 3288’s passage epitomizes Washington’s out-of-touch mentality. H.R. 3288 increases non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending by almost 14%.

At a time when seniors and families are sitting around kitchen tables struggling to figure out where to cut spending to make ends meet, Congressional leaders have refused to do the same. While some deficit spending during a time of war and recession may be necessary to meet our nation’s security needs and ensure fiscal stability, such challenges should not be used as an excuse to abandon fiscal restraint altogether.

Guantanamo Bay

Fiscal irresponsibility is not found just inside the halls of Congress. The Administration’s recent decision to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees into the United States will not only increase security risks and force federal prosecutors to reveal sensitive intelligence information when trying the detainees in civilian court, the decision will also cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Administration officials testified recently before the House Armed Services Committee that the purchase, rehabilitation, upgrade and initial start-up costs associated with the proposed terrorist detention facility in Thomson, Illinois will exceed $400 million. Given that American taxpayers have already funded the construction of a modern, fully operational, and totally secure detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, the expenditure of hundreds of millions of more taxpayer dollars on a move that will increase security risks and undercut our intelligence gathering efforts is irresponsible at best and dangerous at worst.

Health Care

The House and Senate have now passed two different health care reform bills. While these bills seek to achieve an important goal – access to affordable, quality health care for all Americans, they do so in manner that fails to uphold what I believe should be a guiding principle regarding health care reform - the physician’s principle of “First, Do No Harm.”

In addition to putting at risk the current health care coverage of millions of Americans, the House and Senate bills include two common features that will cause significant economic harm: more than $700 billion in new taxes and more than $400 billion in cuts to Medicare. The new taxes will destroy jobs and force more employees into government-run health care and the Medicare cuts will jeopardize the quality of our seniors’ health care. As such, I voted against the House-passed legislation.

Throughout the health care reform debate there were numerous opportunities for Congressional leaders to reach across party lines. Reforms such as restricting the ability of insurers to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, making it easier for small businesses to afford health insurance for their employees, and allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plans have strong, bipartisan support in Congress. Unfortunately, Congressional leaders were unwilling to work with the minority on enacting such reforms.

Throughout the course of debate on health care legislation, I actively sought out the feedback of my constituents through traditional and telephone town hall meetings, one-on-one meetings, e-mails, telephone calls, letters, and off-the-cuff discussions in store check-out lines and other settings in the District. I also spoke out in Committee and on the House floor to highlight problems with the legislation, worked with colleagues on alternative proposals, and voted to demand a more open and accountable process.

If a House-Senate compromise is to now pass Congress and be signed into law by the President, it should be considered in an open and deliberate manner and should genuinely reflect bipartisan principles. Importantly, it should fully uphold the physician’s principle of “First, Do No Harm.”

Despite my opposition to many decisions being made in Washington today, I remain optimistic about our Nation’s future. I am inspired by the wisdom and pragmatism that I hear expressed in my daily interactions with constituents. In the year ahead, I will continue my dutiful efforts to bring the common sense values of my constituents to Washington. Though I share the frustration that many citizens are feeling, I am also confident that the values we share will ultimately prevail.