In my lifetime, the federal government has only managed to balance its budget five times. Clearly, our federal government has a systemic problem which deserves a systemic solution. That solution is a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) to the United States Constitution.
The BBA will bring accountability to our government by forcing Congress to rein in the out-of-control spending and adhere to a balanced budget. The debates over the budget in the last few years has only strengthened my resolve, and the fight to address the critical issues facing our nation is not over. I will continue efforts to work toward a fiscally-responsible budget today to ensure a better future for the next generation of Americans. It is what our children deserve.
That's why, in the 114th Congress, I proposed an amendment to the House Rules implementing a system that will help support the nation-wide push for a BBA. The rule will allow the U.S. House of Representatives to track, document and count the number of incoming Article V Constitutional Convention petitions from state legislatures. I was proud to see this rule pass in a vote on the House Floor in January 2015.
I am also pursuing a strategy through Congress to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment. On July 27, 2017, I introduced House Joint Resolution 110, a bipartisan constitutional amendment which would restrict the federal government from spending more than it receives. The resolution would amend the United States Constitution, which will require a two-thirds majority of each house of Congress to approve it, and then subsequent ratification by 38 states. Whether we start with Congress or at the state level, I hope we will continue getting closer to the passage of the BBA to the United States Constitution.’
Furthermore, on April 12, 2018, the House of Representatives voted on H.J. Res. 2, a Balanced Budget Amendment introduced by Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) – which I supported. Unfortunately, the bill did not receive the super-majority it needed to be sent to the Senate, but the bipartisan support it received highlights the necessity of this amendment. Both sides of the aisle share a goal in balancing fiscal solvency with protecting programs that many members of our society depend on.
We face the national debt not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans. Our debt cannot be blamed on one President or one party because it was created by many years of uncontrolled spending and borrowing. However, the time for a serious measure that balances our budget and works to fix this pending disaster is now.
VIDEO: CLICK HERE to see Steve Stivers testifying on the importance of a Balanced Budget Amendment in the House Judiciary Committee Hearing on July 27, 2017 VIDEO: CLICK HERE to see Steve Stivers discussing the importance of a Balanced Budget Amendment in a Rules Committee Hearing on April 29, 2015. VIDEO:CLICK HEREto see an update from Steve Stivers on a Balanced Budget Amendment. VIDEO: CLICK HERE to see Stivers explain why now is the time for a Balanced Budget Amendment. VIDEO:CLICK HEREto see Stivers and the freshman class highlight the fact that the Senate needs to pass a budget.
