Wasteful and excessive government spending has economic consequences for all South Dakotans.  If we do nothing, a higher cost of living, higher interest rates and higher taxes will hurt every South Dakota family. 

In order to turn our economy around, investors and small businesses need confidence that Congress will use common sense principles – the same principles a South Dakota family would use – to cut spending and ensure a secure economic future.  That’s exactly what we are doing in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Below you will find some of the cuts in spending and reductions in unnecessary government programs and regulations we are taking on:

• I voted to cut $6.2 trillion in government spending and reduce deficits by $4.2 trillion over the next decade compared to the President’s budget, repeal the government takeover of health care, save Medicare and Social Security for future generation while protecting those at or near retirement, and spur economic growth and the create jobs in the Republican FY 2012 Budget Resolution. (H.Con.Res. 34)

• I voted to cut current government spending back to FY 2008 levels or less, which will reduce nonsecurity discretionary spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels. (H.Res. 38)

• I voted to cut more than $100 billion of spending in H.R. 1.

• I voted to cut $4.01 billion in the first two-week-long continuing resolution. (H.J.Res. 44)

• I voted to cut $6 billion in the second three-week-long continuing resolution. (H.J.Res. 48)

• I voted to save $180 million over the next five years by reducing the amounts authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense in 2012 for printing by 10 percent. (H.R. 910)

• I voted to reduce the regulatory burden on our nation’s job providers and prevent a national energy tax in the name of climate change by voting to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse without Congressional action. (H.R. 910)

• I voted to cut new spending by $2.6 trillion over ten years and reduce the deficit by $700 billion when we repealed the government takeover of health care. (H.R. 2)

• I voted to repeal the job-destroying 1099 provision in the government takeover of health care, save taxpayers $24.7 billion in tax receipts, and stop $24.8 billion in wasteful government spending. (H.R. 4)

• I voted to reduce spending by $16 billion by repealing the Prevention and Public Health slush fund created by the government takeover of health care. (H.R. 1217)

• I voted to end the failed mortgage refinancing program and save $175 million of direct spending and cancel $8 billion of TARP funding. (H.R. 830)

• I also voted to end the failed Dodd-Frank program and save $840 million, as allocated. (H.R. 836)

• I also voted to cancel unobligated balances from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, a wasteful government program, potentially saving $1 billion if enacted today. (H.R. 861)

• I voted to cut Congressional budgets by five percent, saving $35 million each year. (H.Res. 22)

• I voted to end the taxpayer funding of presidential election campaigns and party conventions, saving $617 million. (H.R. 359)

• I voted to end the wasteful mandatory printing of bills introduced in Congress, saving the American taxpayers $35 million. (H.R. 292)

• House Republicans have banned all earmarks. (House Republican Conference Rules for the 112^th Congress).