Jones Casts no Vote on Another Bloated Budget | Eastern North Carolina Now

    News Release:

"When we're already $20 trillion in debt and running $700 billion annual deficits, we can't afford to keep doing this."

    WASHINGTON, DC     Today, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) continued his fight against wasteful government spending and voted against H. Con. Res. 71, legislation establishing the congressional budget for fiscal year 2018, as well as budgetary guidelines for the following ten fiscal years. H. Con. Res. 71 proposes to increase the debt limit by over $2 trillion, which would bring our national debt to well over $23 trillion.

    "This is not a conservative or responsible budget," said Congressman Jones.

    "It provides for a large increase in fiscal year 2018 discretionary spending that is not offset, which will add to our already unsustainable deficit and debt. It proposes to increase, not decrease, federal budgetary outlays each and every year for the next ten years, from $3.16 trillion this year, to over $3.8 trillion in 2027. For the next ten years it would keep spending hundreds of billions through the off-budget, deficit-financed Overseas Contingency Operation account, which is the primary vehicle for the ongoing waste, fraud and abuse of American taxpayers' money in Afghanistan. When we're already $20 trillion in debt and running $700 billion annual deficits, we can't afford to keep doing this."

    H. Con. Res. 71 passed the House by a vote of 219-206, and will be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

    Congressman Jones has devoted his time in service to sounding the alarm about wasteful spending and the rising debt. He has consistently voted against raising the debt limit and wasteful spending bills. He is the only member of Congress to vote against every bloated budget over the past 13 years. Over that time the national debt has grown nearly $13 trillion, over $1 trillion a year.

    For additional information, please contact Allison Tucker in Congressman Jones' office at (202) 225-3415 or allison.tucker@mail.house.gov.