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Spending Freeze is Not Enough

January 31, 2011
E-Newsletters

The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging. In his State of the Union speech, the President proposed that the government freeze spending for the next five years. I'm glad that the President finally agrees that we ought to stop digging, but that won't get us out of the hole.

Yes, we need to freeze spending, but not at last year's budget-busting levels. Congress has overspent for far too long. As one of my colleagues said, it's like speeding recklessly and then setting the cruise control as you are headed toward a cliff.

Next year's budget deficit is projected to be a record $1.5 trillion. That deficit would equal 9.8 percent of our economy, making it the most since the end of World War II. The Congressional Budget Office said without significant changes, we would rack up $12 trillion more in debt this decade alone.

I am committed not to just a freeze in spending, but reducing it. Already, we have cut our own budgets by five percent. We've frozen our own pay and the pay of federal workers. When the President announces his budget in the coming weeks, we will recommend billions in spending cuts.

For far too long, Washington has simply increased spending without worrying about where that money would come from. We must begin to make tough decisions about our priorities. In order to get out of this hole, we are going to have to reduce our spending.

Sincerely,

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Signature of Congressman Sam Graves
Sam Graves