House Passes Responsible, Balanced Budget

Our country is on an unsustainable fiscal course. On our current trajectory, the debt will reach nearly 170% of our national Gross Domestic Product by 2040. In just 10 years, we will spend more on servicing the debt than we will on national defense. With China already holding $12.3 trillion of our debt, a 47% share, there is no question we must take bold action to stem the flood of spending and debt that threatens to pull our country under.

Last week, the House considered several different budget proposals as we worked to keep our promise to pass a responsible and balanced budget that will reduce spending and shrink the debt. My first choice was the Republican Study Committee budget – a bold and aggressive plan that would balance the budget in just four years. Unfortunately, when this budget failed to garner sufficient votes for passage, I supported the next best alternative – the House Budget Committee proposal that cuts $5.1 trillion in spending and brings the federal budget into balance by 2024. Notably, the President’s own budget proposal was offered – a liberal wish list of more tax-and-spend policies that never balances – and only 2 Members of the whole House voted to support this unrealistic approach.

We elect leaders to go to Washington to achieve results and make tough decisions, not beat around the bush without ever effecting positive change. I didn’t come to Washington to continue the status quo. I fully realize that we have to start making tough choices about what we can fund, and what we simply can’t. Many Members of Congress want to have it both ways, talking about fiscal responsibility without having the courage to make tough choices. That wasn’t the mission I was given by my friends and neighbors in Southwest Alabama when I was elected.

Now, Harry Reid and Senate Democrats say they will refuse to pass a budget this year because it’s not politically convenient. My colleagues and I in the House believe that’s just no way to govern. We will continue promoting solutions that will make America a strong and prosperous nation again. We believe that’s what we were sent here to do. We’re not giving up on this fight, and we won’t back down.