House Blocks Balanced Budget Amendment

Statement

Recently the national debt surpassed $15 trillion ($15,000,000,000,000). That means every American citizen's share is roughly $48,000. I came to Washington to change the way our government works. In order to make the difficult structural changes for long-term debt control, the House attempted to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment (H. J. Res 2) to the Constitution on Friday. Regretfully, the legislation only garnered 261 of the 290 votes needed for passage.

I voted to support the Balanced Budget Amendment, but was disappointed that some of my colleagues in the House did not. We have all seen the debt crisis that is unfolding in Europe. The Balanced Budget Amendment would force us to live within our means.

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