Budget
In late 2008 our country was thrust into the worst economic crisis in generations. Our economy was on the brink of collapsing, and Congress responded with a number of initiatives to prevent that from happening. We were able to avert a much more serious catastrophe, but we are not out of the woods yet and much more work remains to be done to create good jobs and lower the unemployment rate. The recent budget agreement and Appropriations Act for FY 14, were not perfect, but they provided some much needed certainty for several critical programs. I am hopefully that greater certainty will allow us to focus on what is important for the American people, such as policies that support the middle class and grow our economy.
Government cannot create the spark of ingenuity for a new product, nor the drive to see that idea through to a fully-realized business venture. That said, we do have the responsibility to foster an environment that encourages new enterprises and helps businesses of the future flourish. This effort includes educating a world-class workforce, rewarding innovation, deploying and improving cutting-edge infrastructure, and balancing federal budgets—overall, setting the stage for successful entrepreneurship and growth.
As a member of the New Democrat Coalition, I am working with my colleagues to advance a common-sense, pro-growth policy agenda to move our country in the right direction.
Congress has a responsibility to the American people to address our fiscal issues in a balanced and effective way. We need forward thinking policies that continue to address our budget issues in a comprehensive way that raises revenue and reduces spending.
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