[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 39 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H1554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IT'S TIME TO BALANCE THE BUDGET

  (Mr. PITTENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTENGER. Last week, the Associated Press reported that 
unemployment in Greece rose to a record 26 percent. The news for 
younger workers is even worse: almost 60 percent of those under the age 
of 25 are unemployed.
  As we all know, the root cause of Greece's financial and economic 
collapse is the runaway government spending and unsustainable debt. 
Eventually, the house of cards collapsed, and the results have been 
devastating for their citizens.
  President Obama has said he will not ``chase a balanced budget for 
the sake of balance.'' Well, Mr. President, what about chasing a 
balanced budget for the sake of our economy, for the sake of creating 
jobs, for the sake of preserving Social Security and Medicare and 
Medicaid, and for the sake of preventing financial calamity?
  The present course of trillion-dollar annual deficits and a bloated 
$17 trillion debt is irresponsible. What's taking place right now in 
Greece could easily be our future if we don't act.
  Mr. President, it's time for you to realize that the best way to help 
hardworking, tax-paying American families is to balance the budget and 
free our economy from the burden of our debt.

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