New budget will lead to prosperity

I truly believe that America is the greatest nation in the world. From being the first to walk on the moon, to our medical breakthroughs and technological advances, the United States has always been at the front of the pack. And while we’ve had our ups and downs, I believe that we owe it to our children and grandchildren to act¸ so that they may continue to enjoy the greatness of this nation.
We must act, while continuing to honor those who have served and fought for this land and the many freedoms she provides us.
But America has been under attack, and not just from radical Islamic extremists who threaten our citizens, but from a mounting debt that has crippled our economy and stagnated growth. While American’s paychecks have struggled, we have a president whose administration has spent frivolously and without accountability. Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has called our debt “the single, biggest threat to our national security,” and if we don’t act now, the consequences are dire to say the least.
The Republican led Congress is taking action. Last week- both the House and Senate passed budgets that cut trillions in spending and balanced in 10 years. We will now do what we promised the voters during the elections and govern with conservative solutions. Not since 2005 have Republicans passed a joint-budget resolution. We now have the opportunity to pass one together that protects you – the taxpayer by reducing the size of the federal government, strengthening Medicare to uphold our commitment to seniors and future generations, and stopping wasteful spending.
Introducing a balanced budget should not just act as an accounting exercise, rather this budget will accomplish meaningful reforms to tackle our nation’s debt, while creating real gains for our economy and national security that benefit all Americans. Highlighting our proposal is the full repeal of Obamacare, the president’s disastrous health care takeover. By ending this train-wreck, we will pave the way for new health care reforms that allow for patients and doctors to decide what care is best for you, instead of some nameless bureaucrat in Washington.
Congress should be expected to operate just like you do at home and live within its means, which is why this plan balances the budget in less than 10 years, and reduces spending by $5.5 trillion, all without taking another penny from you in taxes. Most importantly, this budget upholds the first responsibility of the federal government, which is to provide a security and defense for American citizens. Our military, and the men and women in uniform who serve should have access to the best resources to keep the nation safe, while also allowing our veterans and their families to have what they need here at home.
Passing a fiscally responsible budget is an important step forward, but it is only the beginning of what we need to accomplish in the 114th Congress. As chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am crafting a long-term surface transportation bill that will invest in our roads, bridges, and nation’s infrastructure. I am also continuing to fight back at the Environmental Protection Agency’s attack on our farmers, home builders, and small businesses by working to stop its Waters of the US proposal that would drastically expand this oversized agency’s regulatory reach.
While we had to make some difficult decisions in order to make the significant spending cuts necessary to grow our nation now and for future generations, I am confident in this blueprint and the action that we took. And I hope you, the people of the 9th Congressional District will agree.
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, a Republican from Hollidaysburg, represents the 9th Congressional District, which includes all of Fayette, Indiana, Bedford, Blair, Fulton and Franklin counties, along with parts of Greene, Washington, Westmoreland, Cambria, Huntingdon and Somerset counties.