Smith Report: 6.20.2013
At the end of my first week representing Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives I filed legislation to add a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. For the last several months I have talked to families across the 30 counties of our district about the need to reign in federal spending and reduce our nearly $17 trillion national debt. Folks have agreed that our country would be a lot better off if Washington followed Missouri’s example and actually balanced the budget.
During my time in the Missouri General Assembly we balanced the budget every single year because we had a Balanced Budget Amendment in our state’s Constitution. As a result, Missouri has been able to control spending and create a stable budget environment. Although I have only been in Washington for a little over a week, I can tell you that our federal government would be wise to look at Missouri as spending decisions are being made.
During the past three decades, Congress has made numerous attempts to control spending with non-binding budget resolutions and deficit control acts only to see our debt skyrocket. We must face the fact that another non-binding budget resolution is doomed to the same failed result that previous resolutions yielded – temporary deficit reduction followed by rapidly growing debt and spending. It is time for Congress to get serious about the debt crisis and economic growth by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment that will put America on a genuine path to prosperity.
As I have talked to families across our district the consistent theme from each conversation I have been a part of is that Washington is not the solution to our problems. In fact, Washington is the problem. Parents are concerned their children will not have the chance to achieve the American Dream because they will be bogged down with debt. Small business owners are not hiring new workers because they are concerned about our weak economy.
It doesn’t matter how many budget resolutions or budget control acts are passed, Congress has proven completely incapable of making responsible budget decisions. A Balanced Budget Amendment is the only hope to get our National Debt under control. In Missouri we balance our budget every year. In the United States House of Representatives I will keep fighting to make Washington look more like Missouri.
