Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. YODER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this budget proposal.

Before I came to Washington, D.C., I was the Appropriations Committee chairman of the Kansas State Legislature, where we were required each year to balance our State's budget. We were like a lot of Kansas families; we couldn't spend more money than we bring in--quite a novel concept.

As a Member of Congress, I have stood in disbelief, much like most Americans, at the wanton disregard for balancing the Federal budget. Frankly, Mr. Chairman, it is astonishing. In the last 50 years, we've only balanced the budget six times. That's why I'm so happy that we finally have a budget before us that balances. Not only does it balance, it pays off the national debt down to zero.

Now, I support a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to require Congress to do its job and make sure that we don't spend more than we take in. Opponents of that amendment often say we don't need the Constitution to require us to do our work, to balance the budget. We have all the tools to balance the budget now. Great. This is our opportunity to prove it. Let's come together and do our jobs.

Americans are sick and tired of the standard lame Washington excuses of why we couldn't do our jobs and balance the budget. How can you keep going home and blaming others, blaming the other side for the fiscal state of our Nation?

The facts are, Mr. Chairman, besides the RSC budget, this is the only budget being presented that balances and pays the debt down to zero. So we are hearing speech after speech today that criticizes this balanced budget without offering a balanced alternative.

Mr. Chairman, each day, hardworking Americans get up to do their jobs. They work long, hard hours. They put food on the table. They raise their families, and they pay lots of taxes. Is it too much for them to ask for us to balance our books, to spend their tax dollars wisely?

Let's chart a debt-free future for this country. Let's rebuild our economy. Let's honor the work and commitment of the American taxpayers, and let's stand together for a balanced budget.

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