Berg, House Freshmen Call for Passage of Balanced Budget Amendment

Press Release

Congressman Rick Berg today was joined by nearly 20 House freshmen to call on Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment as a common sense solution to ensure that Congress spends no more than it takes in.

Berg led efforts this morning to demonstrate the House Republican freshmen's commitment to supporting the balanced budget amendment when it comes before the House for a vote this week. The participants came out in strong support of the amendment, calling it an opportunity to do what they were elected to do: change the way Washington works.

"I and my fellow House freshmen were elected change the way Washington works. We've already worked to change the conversation in Washington. Now is the opportunity to fundamentally change the way Washington does business by passing a Balanced Budget," Berg said. "Fifteen years ago, a balanced budget amendment passed the House with strong bipartisan support only to fail by a single vote in the Senate. Since then, the national debt has tripled from $4.9 trillion to nearly $15 trillion. Our nation cannot afford to continue down this unsustainable path. This week is Congress's opportunity to get it right. A Balanced Budget Amendment offers a commonsense solution to force the President and Congress to live within its means and get our country back on track. The time is now."

Berg and several participants pointed to the bipartisan nature of the balanced budget amendment, which previously passed with strong bipartisan support in 1995. In addition to the many House Republicans who have fought for the measure, the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition has announced their support of a balanced budget amendment as a measure to ensure that the federal government lives within its means.

Several of today's participants also noted a recent letter from Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04), which urged House Democrats to reject Democratic leadership's opposition to the balanced budget amendment. DeFazio stated his belief that the Democratic leadership "is making a strategic mistake asking Democrats who support a balanced budget amendment to make a partisan stand against it." DeFazio also added that "if Democrats walk away from this sincere bipartisan effort, we will have let the American electorate down."

Berg was joined by nearly twenty first-term members of Congress, including: Rep. Diane Black (TN-06), Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-01), Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Rep. Frank Guinta (NH-01), Rep. Tim Griffin (AR-02), Rep. Andy Harris (MD-01), Rep. Nan Hayworth (NY-19), Rep. Joe Heck (NV-03), Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-11), Rep. Alan Nunnelee (MS-01), Rep. Tom Reed (NY-29), Rep. Todd Rokita (IN-04), Rep. Bobby Schilling (IL-17), and Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08).

Last week, Berg joined North Dakota state legislators at the North Dakota State Capitol in calling on Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment. Berg also recently wrote an op-ed calling on Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment.

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