[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 154 (Wednesday, October 21, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H7038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BALANCED BUDGET PROPOSAL
(Mr. CARNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to bring
responsible budgeting to our Nation's Capitol. First of all, this means
funding the government every year without a shutdown, but also it means
balancing the budget.
Since I have served in Congress, we have been consumed by fights over
deficit reduction and budget priorities. We have gone from crisis to
crisis, never coming up with a long-term plan. After the crisis is
over, nothing happens.
Recently, I introduced a balanced budget amendment that would add
discipline to the budget process and require the government to spend
within its means. Balanced budget proposals are not new. But unlike
most proposals, my amendment protects Social Security, enables long-
term capital investments, and ensures that we can respond to
emergencies.
In Delaware, like most States, the law requires the State to have a
balanced budget. As Delaware Secretary of Finance, I helped make that
happen. We should hold the Federal Government to the same standard.
If the United States is going to continue to be the strongest economy
in the world, we need to address our budget deficits now. I urge my
colleagues to bring order and responsibility to our budget process by
passing my amendment.
____________________