Issue Position: Government Spending

Issue Position

The Federal deficit is out of control and it threatens the long-term strength of our nation. In 2001, the budget was in balance and the nation was projected to be debt-free by 2011. Now -- after a decade of unpaid-for spending and the worst downturn since the Great Depression -- this country owes $16.7 trillion. The debt impacts our ability to make investments critical to growing our economy, including education, infrastructure and workforce training.

Mitch McConnell has failed to address our nation's out-of-control spending. With him in Washington, Kentucky has repeatedly witnessed threats of government shut downs, gone to the brink of default and listened to overheated rhetoric that has done nothing to improve the lives of Kentuckians. We can't afford for Washington and Mitch McConnell to continue to play the same old political games with the budget.

I believe that there is a responsible path to balancing the budget. We need to start by going line-by-line through the budget to cut waste, fraud and abuse and we must ensure that tax dollars are being used smartly and efficiently. Nearly 680 renewable energy initiatives across 23 federal agencies and their 130 sub-agencies costing taxpayers $15 billion is certainly not an efficient use of taxpayer dollars. I also believe that we can make our Medicare and Medicaid programs more efficient without slashing coverage. Medicare spending is unsustainable. But rather than pushing for privatization, or vouchers, or shifting costs to seniors -- supported by Mitch McConnell -- we should be looking for ways to spend smarter on our entire health care system. And to ensure our country never goes into debt again, I will fight in the U.S. Senate to pass a balanced budget amendment.

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