Budget

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I am deeply frustrated with the spending habits in Washington. Just as families throughout the First District and America are making hard choices about how to manage their household budgets, Congress must also act both decisively and responsibly to address our nation’s growing deficit. Our economy continues to struggle, and I believe that Congress must commit to serious spending reform in order to get our economy back on track. By changing the federal government’s out-of-control spending culture, reducing burdensome regulations, and ensuring that taxpayers aren’t sending every penny of their hard-earned money to Washington, we can get our economy moving again.

I am committed to fighting against wasteful spending and to eliminating the fraud and abuse in Washington. We must return to the conservative principles of controlling spending, particularly when it comes to federal earmarks, commonly referred to as "pork barrel" projects. I have been a leader in Congress on earmark reform and support a moratorium on earmarks. We must reform this broken, wasteful process. I am a cosponsor of legislation which would require that any increase in the statutory debt limit be considered as a stand-alone bill and pass with a supermajority 2/3 vote. Furthermore, I have cosponsored legislation that would establish a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.