Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Isakson, Chambliss Continue Push for Constitutional Amendment
to Balance Federal Budget

Georgia's Senators Co-Sponsor Legislation to End Reckless Federal Spending

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today repeated their call for Congress and the President to pass a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the federal budget, a measure aimed at reducing the nation’s debt and reining in federal spending.

Isakson, Chambliss and 45 of their Republican colleagues in the Senate are co-sponsors of the proposed constitutional amendment, S.J.Res.10, which was introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Today, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is expected to begin the Senate Rule 14 process of moving the proposal directly to the Senate floor for a vote.

Currently, 48 states have some form of a balanced budget requirement. By law, the state of Georgia must operate under a balanced budget.

“With our national debt skyrocketing past an unprecedented $14 trillion, it is urgent that Washington get its fiscal house in order. These spending habits are unsustainable and jeopardize our credit rating and the financial future of our country. That is why I am joining all of my Republican colleagues in again calling on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget,” said Isakson. “In Georgia, the Legislature is required by law to balance the budget every year—it is not always easy but it forces Georgia’s elected officials to make tough choices and it ensures that Georgia won’t face the problem of massive debt and deficits. With our federal budget in such disarray, the only way we can restore fiscal responsibility and sanity is to prohibit Congress from spending money it doesn’t have. A constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget would force Congress and the President to finally just say ‘no.’”

“The current and projected imbalance between government spending and revenues is unsustainable. Washington has an obligation to say ‘enough is enough,’” said Chambliss. “We must stop spending money we don’t have and stop playing politics with America’s future. This legislation will force Congress and the administration to put our nation on a path toward fiscal sustainability.”

Isakson and Chambliss also cosponsored a similar proposal, S.J.Res.3, which was introduced by Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in January of this year.