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Proposing A Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution

Floor Speech

Date: April 12, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Economy and Fiscal Government Budget and Spending

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time, and I certainly appreciate the chairman's long-term commitment to the issue of a balanced budget.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, providing States the opportunity to add a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution.

Let me also say that amending our Constitution is something we should never take lightly. When drafting our foundational document, our Founders intended it to provide not just the outline of our Federal Government, but also to restrict the powers of each branch through a system of strong checks and balances.

We must also understand this amendment, if ratified, is still just one part of addressing our current fiscal situation. We must still do the hard work of looking at spending. Reducing spending, reforming entitlements for the future, and encouraging the economic growth and opportunity needed to eliminate our deficits in the short term, and certainly pay down our debt in the long term.

This is a very vital first step, Mr. Speaker, in getting our Nation on better fiscal footing, but we have a long road ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this resolution.

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