Accountability Counts In Washington

(Congressman Joe Heck) – No more budget tricks, no more accounting gimmicks, and no more empty promises – it’s time we hold Washington accountable.

This week, the House acted to hold Washington accountable. The Budget Control Act of 2011 provides for real savings in today’s spending, real controls on tomorrow’s spending and real accountability for the future. It increases the debt limit 2.4 trillion dollars, as the President requested, saves nearly 2.5 trillion dollars, and requires a Balanced Budget Amendment vote in the House and Senate. It is a balanced, fundamental and structural change to how Washington conducts business.

After all, what is more balanced than a Balanced Budget Amendment to America’s Constitution? 49 of 50 states have balanced budget requirements, and over 70% of American’s support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the US Constitution – it’s time for the federal government to have one.

This was a difficult decision. Like you, I was frustrated over Washington’s inability to overcome partisanship to do what’s best for American families. While I prefer that we didn’t need to raise the debt limit, prior Congresses ran up these bills and they must be paid or we risk a decrease of our nation’s AAA credit rating. It would be like giving your spouse the credit card and saying it was okay to go on a shopping spree, but then refusing to pay the bill when it arrived in the mail.

A decrease in America’s credit rating would mean higher interest rates on everyday items such as credit cards, car loans, student loans, small business loans, mortgages and more. I don’t want to make it harder for students to pay back their loans, small business owners to get a line of credit or families to stay in their homes. That is why I voted for this bill.

This plan is nothing to celebrate about, not with Nevada’s unemployment at 12.4%. People want to get back to work, and I’m hopeful that this bill will show our employers, both large and small, that we are serious about controlling Washington’s spending, and I hope it encourages them to invest in America.

P.S. – Your voice forced Washington to put people before politics and progress before partisanship, and I urge you to voice support for a Balanced Budget Amendment that will finally hold Washington accountable.