Washington's Budget Battles

As many of you are well aware, Washington is once again in the midst of a deep debate over federal spending and our nation’s fiscal trajectory.  Over the past couple of weeks I’ve heard from countless constituents who have called or written me to share their thoughts on the current battle in Congress over the government funding bill (known inside the beltway as a “Continuing Resolution” or “CR”) and the looming fight over an agreement to raise the debt limit.  While I’ve heard a wide range of opinions from across our district on these matters, it’s clear to me that an overwhelming majority of my constituents support a functioning but fiscally restrained federal government, a clear plan to tackle our exploding national debt and an end to the President’s reckless and costly health care law.

With your views in mind, I was proud to stand with a bipartisan coalition of House members who passed a Continuing Resolution through our chamber late last week that was designed to prevent a government shutdown, held the line on spending and cut off funding to a health care law that our country didn’t want, doesn’t support and cannot afford.  With Republicans and Democrats joining together, the House acted effectively and responsibly to pass a funding measure that reflects the clear will of the American people. 

As you may know, the bill was then sent to Harry Reid’s Senate, where it faces an uncertain future.  Although both President Obama and Senator Reid have indicated a willingness to shutdown the entire federal government if Obamacare is not protected, I sincerely hope that they will find the courage to set politics aside and listen to the American people who oppose both Obamacare and a government shutdown.  The House offered a bipartisan path forward on the CR and now it’s up to Senator Reid and the President to take us the rest of the way there.

As was mentioned above, following the debate over the Continuing Resolution, Washington must also reach an agreement regarding the debt ceiling.  According to the Treasury Department, America will hit its debt limit in mid-October.  Consequently, in order to avoid default and pay the debts our government has already accrued, a deal must be reached to increase the nation’s debt ceiling.  While everyone recognizes that defaulting on our debt simply isn’t an option, neither is raising the debt limit without any spending offsets or other fiscal measures that will help address the underlying problem of our rapidly growing debt.  

For decades, the White House and Congress have had to work together to reach various agreements on fiscal measures that were tied to any increase in the debt limit.  And while the current debate is no different, President Obama has assumed an inexplicable and dangerous posture, declaring that he is unwilling to negotiate with Congress at all on this matter.  While the President obviously has an important voice in this process, this is neither a monarchy nor a dictatorship, and any President, Republican or Democrat, who explicitly refuses to negotiate with our nation’s Congress is failing a critical test of leadership.