I’m not surprised to hear how frustrated folks across southwest and central Iowa are with the federal government’s reckless spending and the nation’s skyrocketing national debt. This is the reoccurring message our friends and neighbors share with me at my town hall meetings, during telephone town halls, visits across our District, and in the letters and calls I receive.
Families and businesses in Iowa and across the country balance their checkbooks and responsibly manage their finances every single day. Whether it’s around the kitchen table or in a conference room, expenses are constantly reevaluated and each dollar is carefully tracked, because folks know you can’t spend money you don’t have.
Yet, the federal government fails to understand this basic principle. Spending continues at an unsustainable rate, snowballing into a dangerous environment threatening jobs, economic growth and opportunity, and leaving us $19 trillion in debt.
To rein in government spending, we need a balanced budget. We need the federal government to operate within its means, as American families must do. And, we need to act now, instead of ignoring this problem and leaving it for our children and grandchildren to solve.
In Congress, I’m working to impose fiscal restraint, and to curb duplicity and waste within our federal government. I am an original cosponsor of a resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, which would prevent Congress from spending more of taxpayers’ hard-earned money than what the country takes in each year.
Since day one, I made clear my priority in Congress is to fight for an efficient, effective, transparent and accountable government that works for you. I have proposed zero-based budgeting to get federal spending in check, which requires federal agencies justify their spending, mission, and goals annually.
As a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, I bring Iowans voice and values to the negotiating table, and thoroughly examine federal spending while supporting meaningful policy to strengthen the economic security of all Americans. This work includes making hard decisions to curb our nation’s discretionary spending and begin conversations about ways to reform ballooning mandatory spending – the driver of our debt.
A balanced budget is a simple concept with tremendous importance to our country long-term. We need to make the tough decisions now and put Americans first, setting our children and grandchildren up for a better future than the one we inherited. As we continue the appropriations process this year and I continue my efforts as your U.S. Representative, I remain committed to fighting for meaningful legislative solutions which effectively curb government spending and waste to get our country back on track.