Ms. JENKINS. This week, Moody's threatened to downgrade the U.S.' credit rating if Washington fails yet again to deal with the long-term debt problem. This is not news. We were downgraded last year, but instead of acting to fix the problem, this administration racked up a $1 trillion deficit for the fourth year in a row, and now we face a fiscal cliff that could cause another recession.

Enough with the short-term fixes, patches, gimmicks, and tricks. They only make the problem worse. This country needs a comprehensive budget and tax reform. This means a simpler Tax Code that is more fair and efficient, and it means fundamental spending reform that will save Medicare.

We have a rare opportunity to put this country back on the right track to ensure a more prosperous future for our children. Let's take it. It's time to put the American people first.