[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





       PROPOSING A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. SUZANNE BONAMICI

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 12, 2018

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this 
proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution. This amendment, if ratified, 
would likely result in devastating cuts to programs like Social 
Security and Medicare that would harm Oregonians and families around 
the country. H.J. Res. 2, the Balanced Budget Amendment, would require 
the federal government to cut any spending that is not fully offset by 
incoming revenue, including spending on Social Security, Medicare, and 
Medicaid. I agree that Congress must act in a fiscally responsible 
manner, and we owe it to our children and grandchildren to not leave 
them with a country that has a significant debt burden. But there are 
many ways to be fiscally responsible, including finding smarter, better 
ways to provide important services and by making investments that 
actually grow the economy.
  It is important to note that the majority is bringing this measure to 
the floor for a vote now, not long after the passage of their partisan 
tax bill that will further exacerbate income inequality and explode our 
deficit by about $1.9 trillion dollars. Our seniors deserve better than 
having their Social Security benefits-which they have earned over a 
lifetime of hard work-jeopardized under the guise of fiscal 
responsibility. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are 
serious about reining in federal spending, we should look to 
commonsense reforms, not across-the-board measures that put Social 
Security, Medicare, and Medicaid at risk

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