Op-Ed: Putting Region, America to Work

Op-Ed

Op-Ed: Putting Region, America to Work

NOT ONLY are we in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, but we have inherited a budget deficit that, if left unchecked, will jeopardize the economic security of future generations of Americans.

The first step toward ending the recession was the passage of an economic recovery package that cuts taxes for middle-class families and small businesses and that invests in critical infrastructure to create jobs.

One part of the recovery plan is a bipartisan tax cut, which I authored, to provide a tax break of up to $2,400 for businesses that hire unemployed veterans. This will help create jobs in Hampton Roads, and it will provide assistance to veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This was not a perfect bill, and the cost to our federal debt will be significant, but the cost of doing nothing would have been even higher.

These recovery measures are necessary in the short term, but we cannot indefinitely spend money that we do not have. That is why, as we work to get the economy back on track, it is now incumbent to set in place a plan to reduce the deficit and return to real fiscal responsibility.

This will take more than transparency - it will take a commitment to change our culture of borrowing and spending - and Washington needs to set a far better example.

In my first official action in Congress, I cosponsored a bipartisan bill to block the annual congressional pay increase next year, because representatives should not be getting pay raises while people back home are losing their jobs. On Wednesday, the House passed that measure with bipartisan support.

I will also continue to work closely with both Republicans and Democrats to help families keep more of their hard-earned money by cutting taxes for small businesses and middle-class families. With family budgets stretched thin, it would be disastrous for us to take more money out of the taxpayers' pockets. Instead, government must become more efficient, and we must work to pay down the national debt.

Fiscal responsibility does not mean cutting off all federal investment in our country; it does mean setting priorities. During my time in the Foreign Service, I had the privilege to work alongside the men and women of our armed forces in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. The work that they do deserves our utmost support, and we must continue to invest in a strong national defense, as well as taking care of our veterans after they return home.

But even in these critical areas, we must spend our tax dollars wisely. In the upcoming year, the Navy will face more than $4 billion in unfunded priorities. Now is not the time to spend $1 billion on unnecessary projects like moving a nuclear aircraft carrier to Florida.

The challenges we face today seem unprecedented, but the solutions can be found in the basic, common-sense principles that have guided average American families and businesses for hundreds of years - spend responsibly, invest wisely and build a strong foundation for the next generation.

These are the values that I learned growing up in Hampton Roads. By restoring these values to our government, we will rebuild our economy and protect and strengthen our nation for years to come.

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