11/18/11 Thursday, Congressman Joe Donnelly gave the following speech in support of H.J.Res.2, a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.J.Res.2, a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. The fact is, for too long, Washington has not made the necessary—and tough—decisions that need to be made to get our budget under control. Working families in Indiana know all too well the importance of balancing their budgets even when times are tight. Just as Hoosier families must make tough decisions about how to manage their budget, so, too, must Congress make tough choices about where to invest and what to cut.
“I have always supported a balanced budget amendment because it is another important tool that can be used to help get our fiscal house in order. Having a balanced budget amendment in place is crucial to this country going beyond speaking about tough decisions and actually making them. I’m aware that this will not be convenient and tough decisions that affect many people will have to be made to match revenues with our spending priorities–to live within our means. But, we are facing significant fiscal challenges and the American people are desperate for us to come together on a bipartisan basis and do something that will more effectively deal with them.
“Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.J.Res.2, and take one more step to achieve fiscal responsibility and a stronger, more secure future.”
