WASHINGTON (November 18) – Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) today voted for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

            Although the House voted 261-165 for the provision, it failed to receive the two-thirds majority needed for a constitutional amendment to proceed. The amendment was opposed by 161 Democrats. 

            Congressman Bachus’ remarks on the Balanced Budget Amendment as printed in the Congressional Record follow. 

Families across America have to live within their means and balance their budgets. Sometimes it means making hard decisions and giving up things that you might like but can’t afford.

For too long, Washington has avoided making those choices. Its practice has not been to control spending but to keep borrowing more and more. For families, this approach results in bankruptcy. For countries, it leads to the financially and socially perilous situation that we are seeing in Greece and other debt-ridden nations.

It is very clear that the only sure way to bring long-term fiscal discipline to Washington is to adopt a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. The Balanced Budget Amendment will provide us with a disciplined framework for the important decisions on entitlement changes and other spending reforms that will be needed to place America on firmer fiscal ground.

Amending the Constitution is not something that should ever be done lightly. But I truly believe that what is at stake here is the financial integrity of our country and the future prosperity of our children and grandchildren. Our parents left us with a stronger America. We do not want to leave them with a weaker one.