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This letter was sent by OpenCongress user Eaglerider on December 08, 2011 in support of S.J.Res.10 Joint resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.. Privacy setting: PUBLIC
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S.J.Res.10 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget.
I am writing as your constituent in the 1st Congressional district of Arizona. I am writing as your constituent in the 1st Congressional district of Arizona. I support S.J.Res.10 - A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget., and am tracking it using OpenCongress.org, the free public resource website for government transparency and accountability.

Sincerely,
Clayton Scott
This letter was a reply from the office of Rep. Paul Gosar [R, AZ-1] on December 09, 2011.
Response from Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.

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December 9, 2011









Dear Mr. Scott,



Thank you for contacting me with regard to a proposed balanced budget
amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This is an extremely important
issue and I appreciate your concern.



When I first came to Congress, it was painfully evident our government
was broken. For far too long, the government has spent money it did
not have on programs it did not need. The national debt of the United
States has already surpassed $15 trillion, which equates to over
$125,000 for every taxpayer. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
projects this year's deficit to be at least $1.6 trillion. No matter
how you look at these numbers, it is clear they paint a picture of an
unsustainable financial future.



The federal government cannot continue to fund its operations in the
same way it has in the past. In order to avoid a financial
catastrophe, Washington must revise its way of thinking about federal
spending. I promised the people of my district that I would fight the
tide and stop excessive spending and bureaucratic growth in the capital
city.



Families and businesses in rural Arizona have to live within a budget;
so should our federal government. I truly believe that the President
of the United States, regardless of who is currently in office and what
political party they identify with, needs strict legal guidelines
forcing common-sense budget practices. Without a doubt, Congress needs
something in place to prevent it from going overboard on spending.
Real security and stability will only be achieved if Congress enacts a
balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.



Congressman Justin Amash has introduced, and I have cosponsored, a
balanced budget amendment proposal, called H.J.Res.81, also known as
the "Business Cycle Balanced Budget Amendment." This proposed
amendment would be a hybrid between a spending limit and balanced
budget rule. It would take an average of federal revenue levels from
the previous three years and limit spending based on that figure. It
would allow emergency spending with three-fourths approval of both
Houses of Congress, pending a detailed description of the emergency.
Finally, the bill would be phased in gradually over a decade. I
strongly believe this is balanced budget amendment should come before
the U.S. House of Representatives immediately.



Additionally, you may have heard the House of Representatives put forth
a balanced budget amendment to be voted on, H.J.Res.2, introduced by
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), on November 17, 2011. This balanced budget
amendment proposal was nearly identical to measure that passed the
House in 1995, in a strong bipartisan vote including 72 House Democrats
(300-132), only to be defeated in the Senate by one vote.



While not perfect, it was believed that H.J.Res.2 had enough bipartisan
support to garner the two-thirds majority necessary to pass the House
and the Senate. In 1995, 72 House Democrats voted for the same
Balanced Budget Amendment - including numerous members who still
currently serve. Although I voted for H.J.Res.2, it ultimately failed
to get the two-thirds majority needed to pass the House by a vote of
261 to 165, with 8 members not voting. The opposition was led by House
Minority Leader Steny Hoyer, who had voted in favor of the amendment in
1995.



I was very disappointed in this outcome. The vote shows how truly
broken Washington D.C. is and that some in Congress are more worried
about the next election than getting our country back on track.



Our country cannot wait! I will continue to fight the status quo in
Washington and push my colleagues in the House to implement
common-sense reforms, like this balanced budget amendment, that aim to
restore fiscal sanity and ensure prosperity for future generations.



For additional information, please visit my website,
http://www.gosar.house.gov . From this
site you can access statements about current events or pending
legislation, and receive detailed information about the many services
that I am privileged to provide for Arizonans. Please also feel free
to contact my congressional office at (202) 225-2315.



Again, I appreciate your thoughts and concerns. It is an honor to
serve as your United States Congressman. Your suggestions are always
welcome, and if ever I may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to
contact me.






Sincerely,



Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.
Member of Congress

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