This past week during our first district work week of the 113th Congress, we had the opportunity to visit Danville and Blairs, and to make our first official visits in Warrenton. Many miles may separate Danville and Warrenton, but it is clear that those all across our district share a common concern with our nation’s unsustainable debt.
For years, lawmakers from both parties have chosen political expediency over what is best course of action for this country. As a result, 5th District Virginians and Americans across the country have witnessed the devastating consequences of our reckless spending spree as unemployment rates remain unacceptably high and our staggering debt continues to grow. At a time when we are borrowing 45 cents on every dollar, we simply can’t kick the can down the road anymore. It is time we get serious about addressing Washington’s spending crisis.
It is clear that structural changes are needed to move us toward a balanced budget, and that is why the first bill I cosponsored in the 113th Congress was a joint resolution that would amend our Constitution to include a balanced budget amendment. I am proud to once again cosponsor this legislation because it is a step in the right direction toward forcing Washington to live within its means and fixing this spending-driven debt crisis. This amendment would set us on a path toward fiscal sustainability by requiring that the federal government not spend more than it takes in.
As families across the 5th District and the country must make difficult decisions to live within their budgets, so too should the federal government. We are at a critical point in our nation’s history and we must take serious action to address the rapidly growing $16 trillion debt. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must change business as usual in Washington.
As we enter the 113th Congress, I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make the tough choices necessary in order to get our economy back on track. It is my hope that in the coming weeks the Senate and the President will join us in proposing real solutions to cut spending and get our fiscal house in order.
Robert Hurt represents the Fifth District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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