[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17698]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                PUT AMERICA BACK ON A PATH TO PROSPERITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about 
passing a balanced budget amendment today. I will tell you, there's 
been a global debate most recently over the finances of the world. And 
even in Europe, in the eurozone, Merkel and Sarkozy are proposing that 
balanced budget amendments be a part of the constitutions of those 
countries that make up the eurozone. It's not often that you will find 
me agreeing with President Sarkozy. He is certainly not the great 
leader that Benjamin Netanyahu is. But on this one, I do believe that 
he was right to come out of his foxhole and support the balanced budget 
amendments.
  Every year, our Americans sit down at the kitchen table, pencil and 
paper in hand, and balance their budgets in their households. Every 
American business owner will tell you that they cannot continually 
deficit spend the way this country has well over the last decade.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Georgia's Eighth Congressional District 
are hardworking and responsible people. They expect the same of their 
government leaders. They work each day to ensure that the future 
remains bright for their children and grandchildren, and they sent me 
here to do the same.
  The work that will be required by the balanced budget will not be 
easy, but Americans are counting on us. They are counting on us to make 
tough decisions and put America back on a path to prosperity. Passing 
the balanced budget amendment is the first step to that.

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