Making Ends Meet During This Recession

Floor Speech

Mr. DRIEHAUS. Mr. Speaker, though our economy is growing again, we still face record budget deficits and a growing national debt due to the revenue lost during the Great Recession, the reckless tax policies of previous Congresses and the steps we took to turn around the economy. The President's proposal to freeze discretionary spending is an important step to meet this challenge, but we must do more. As we begin the budget process for 2011, Congress needs to make tough choices about spending just like millions of American families are doing to make ends meet during this recession.

As Members of Congress, we need to quit pointing fingers and come together to be smarter about the way we spend taxpayer money. We must enact strict PAYGO principles, stop abusive no-bid contracts, and crack down on wasteful earmarks. Noisy rhetoric about wasteful spending isn't going to reduce the deficit, just as it doesn't create jobs or stimulate the economy.

So I urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to put aside politics and business as usual so that our current deficit challenge doesn't become the burden of future generations.

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