Thank you for contacting me. I share your concerns regarding the unsustainable amount of spending by the federal government and our national debt. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the federal budget deficit was about $1.4 trillion in fiscal year 2009 and $1.3 trillion in 2010.
I have voted against numerous policies promoted by the Obama Administration and the Democratic Party led Congress which contributed directly to the high deficits, including the so-called stimulus bill, the health care bill and the financial regulatory reform bill. I have listed several of these votes below.
February 13, 2009, #64I opposed the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (Stimulus bill)
March 10, 2009, # 96I opposed the 2009 Omnibus appropriations bill
April 29, 2009, #173I opposed the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolution
June 18, 2009, #209I opposed Cash for Clunkers
August 6, 2009, #270I opposed the Extension of Cash for Clunkers
August 6, 2009, #267I supported ending TARP
December 13, 2009, #374I opposed the 2010 Omnibus appropriations bill
December 24, 2009, #396 I opposed the Senate Democratic Party Health Care Bill
December 24, 2009, # 397I opposed the Debt Limit Increase
January 21, 2010, #2I supported Ending TARP
January 28, 2010, #14I opposed the Debt Limit Increase
March 10, 2010, #48I opposed the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act
March 17, 2010, #55I opposed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act
March 25, 2010, #105I opposed the Democratic Party Health Care Bill (reconciliation)
April 15, 2010, #117I opposed the Continuing Extension Act of 2010
June 10, 2010, #184I opposed EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
July 15, 2010, #208I opposed the Financial Regulatory Reform Bill
July 21, 2010, # 215I opposed the Unemployment Insurance Extension
August 5, 2010, #228I opposed the State Budget and Education Bailout
September 16, 2010, #237I opposed the Small Business Lending Fund Act
I have used meetings and press opportunities in Indiana and in Washington, D.C. to express my concern about these policies. I have supported and will continue to support efforts to overhaul, repeal, or restrain these policies and related spending.
Knowing of your focus on these issues, you may also be interested in an article that I recently wrote for the Ripon Forum newsletter, which can be read in its entirety at http://www.riponsociety.
Objective number one must be to build public optimism that our economy is going to grow much stronger, and that this growth will bring about more confidence to invest in new products and services that will create more jobs, and enhance our country's ability to compete with economies of other countries around the globe. On another occasion of economic challenge, President Ronald Reagan called for "morning in America," a great new dawn of vigorous enterprise and adventure. Now as then, providing a new day of opportunity requires that we end for all Americans the threat of higher income taxes. We may introduce legislation to make our tax code less complex, and may examine very carefully various tax breaks for particular individuals and interests that have worked their way into the tax code. But it is vital that we immediately restore certainty and stability to both business and private investment decisions by ending now the threat of higher individual tax rates.
Second, we must reduce federal spending by instituting careful analysis of the largest areas of expenditure that have the most promise for identifying present and future savings. This includes backing Pentagon budget reforms proposed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The Secretary has courageously taken on a host of interests in the military-industrial complex (first so identified by President Eisenhower), demanding major management improvements and cutback in particular weapons systems, while encouraging our allies to assume some responsibilities we have shouldered in the defense of civilized values and the quest for global peace and stability.
Third, we must make responsible proposals for entitlement reforms, an area even more controversial than proposed reductions in defense spending. Many argue that even discussing changes in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits endangers Republicans in seeking continued public support for a reform agenda. This is the view that sees Americans, as some have put it, as rhetorically conservative but operationally liberal when it comes to government benefits they expect to receive. I believe this cynical characterization is underestimating the citizens who overwhelmingly backed Republican candidates this November.
Most Americans understand than any honest, realistic effort to get control of government spending simply must address the areas where spending growth has been monumental - namely, defense and entitlements. These Americans likewise celebrate that we now have substantial possibilities for living longer and more productive lives, and recognize that pension and health support plans must take greater longevity into account if such plans are to survive. I believe most Americans will in fact respect and support Republicans for candidly addressing these challenges, notwithstanding predictable demagoguery this will engender from some.
Second, we must reduce federal spending by instituting careful analysis of the largest areas of expenditure that have the most promise for identifying present and future savings. This includes backing Pentagon budget reforms proposed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The Secretary has courageously taken on a host of interests in the military-industrial complex (first so identified by President Eisenhower), demanding major management improvements and cutback in particular weapons systems, while encouraging our allies to assume some responsibilities we have shouldered in the defense of civilized values and the quest for global peace and stability.
Third, we must make responsible proposals for entitlement reforms, an area even more controversial than proposed reductions in defense spending. Many argue that even discussing changes in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits endangers Republicans in seeking continued public support for a reform agenda. This is the view that sees Americans, as some have put it, as rhetorically conservative but operationally liberal when it comes to government benefits they expect to receive. I believe this cynical characterization is underestimating the citizens who overwhelmingly backed Republican candidates this November.
Most Americans understand than any honest, realistic effort to get control of government spending simply must address the areas where spending growth has been monumental - namely, defense and entitlements. These Americans likewise celebrate that we now have substantial possibilities for living longer and more productive lives, and recognize that pension and health support plans must take greater longevity into account if such plans are to survive. I believe most Americans will in fact respect and support Republicans for candidly addressing these challenges, notwithstanding predictable demagoguery this will engender from some.
On a related note, I am pleased to report that I have returned over $5.1 million in unspent office funds over the course of my career. I believe it is important to run an efficient office and make good use of taxpayer dollars.
Thank you, again, for contacting me.
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