Congress Blog

By Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas)

Last Congress, in an unprecedented failure, House Democrats neglected to pass or even propose a budget, giving themselves a blank check to irresponsibly spend too much, tax too much and borrow too much. This year, President Obama and the Democrats have again chosen not to produce a credible plan to implement serious spending cuts or to resolve the current budget mess. 

What’s worse, President Obama’s disappointing budget proposal released in February provides no vision for the future, except to punt on the drivers of our debt, accelerate our country down a path to bankruptcy and rob our children of a future full of America’s promise, prosperity and security.

Like the budgets he has given us the last couple of years, the president remains committed to locking in unsustainable spending, implementing trillions in new tax increases on families, businesses and America’s energy producers, and allowing Medicare and Social Security to go bankrupt so future generations will not have access to these programs.

President Obama and Democrat leaders continue to abdicate their responsibilities and ignore the reality that our country is facing a dire financial situation. And with every passing day, we are continuing to mortgage the futures of our children and grandchildren.

As a result, my colleagues and I of the 112th Congress are confronted with the great task of taking a bloated and excessive government full of runaway spending and wasteful government programs and dramatically altering its reckless and unsustainable trajectory by developing a fiscally sound budget blueprint. House Republicans understand the importance of sacrifice to ensure that future generations inherit a stronger, more prosperous and more free America. 

Chairman Paul Ryan and the House Budget Committee have acted boldly to turn the federal ship around and chart a new course: a path to prosperity. The House Republicans’ fiscal year 2012 budget resolution, unveiled Tuesday, is a critical step to restore fiscal sanity and restart the engines of economic growth so that individuals and businesses can once again flourish.

We are calling for bold action that finally puts the budget on a path to fiscal stability and our economy on the path to prosperity. It is a plan to give our children and grandchildren a debt-free nation so they have the same opportunities to achieve the American Dream that our generation had. 

Over the next decade alone, our plan will cut $6.2 trillion in overall government spending and $4.4 trillion in deficit spending compared to the President’s budget. It will bring government down to below 20 percent of GDP by 2015 and put us on a path to begin to pay off our national debt.

In addition, our plan will repeal and defund ObamaCare, which would do away with roughly $800 billion in tax increases and will prevent the $1.5 trillion tax increase the president called for in his budget plan. In order to preserve them for future generations, our plan also makes necessary changes to Medicare and Medicaid and directs Congress and the president to devise a strategy to ensure Social Security's solvency.

I along with my fellow House Republicans colleagues feel it is our duty to protect this generation and future generations from the litany of irresponsible actions of President Obama and Democrats in Congress who want to increase spending, increase taxes and increase the role of government in the everyday lives of all Americans.

So now we face an historic choice that will decide the future for America. Whether it comes to the Republican Budget or the Continuing Resolution to fund the government through fiscal year 2011, Republicans are listening to the American people and offering sound fiscal solutions to tackling our debt-driven economic crisis. All the while, we are fighting the administration’s irresponsible, disastrous governing agenda that has led our nation further in the wrong direction.

President Obama failed to put forth a serious plan for tackling our fiscal challenges. His budget failed to prove that he can make the tough choices necessary to govern responsibly during our current economic downturn. It is up to us to keep this great nation exceptional. 

I came to Congress this year specifically for this cause. We need real leadership in Washington, and where the President has fallen short, House Republicans will rise to meet the challenges of our time and work to advance a path to prosperity.  Where the President has failed, House Republicans will lead.

Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) represents the 17th Congressional District of Texas and serves on the House Budget Committee. 

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