Jones Continues Stand Against Runaway Debt | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

"Common sense tells us that if you're in a hole, stop digging. America's in a massive fiscal hole, but Congress keeps digging faster."

    WASHINGTON, DC     Today, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) continued his long fight against wasteful government spending and the runaway federal debt by voting against final passage of H. Con. Res. 71, legislation establishing the congressional budget for fiscal year 2018. H. Con. Res. 71 proposes to increase the debt by over $5 trillion, which would bring our national debt to nearly $26 trillion.

    "Common sense tells us that if you're in a hole, stop digging," said Congressman Jones. "America's in a massive fiscal hole, but Congress keeps digging faster. This is not a conservative or responsible budget. It proposes to increase, not decrease, federal spending each and every year for the next ten years, from $3.13 trillion this year, to over $3.9 trillion in 2027. For the next ten years it would keep spending $162 billion 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 $666 billion annual deficits, we can't afford to keep doing this."

    H. Con. Res. 71 would also require the Congress to consider future tax legislation that would add up to $1.5 trillion to the deficit and debt. Congressional leaders have yet to introduce that legislation, but are expected to do so soon.

    "I'm all for tax reform," said Congressman Jones. "But given America's already perilous debt situation, we should not be borrowing another trillion dollars from China and other foreign countries to finance it. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Michael Mullen, has testified that the biggest threat to our national security is America's rising debt. Our current Secretary of Defense, Marine Corps General James Mattis, has affirmed that. We need tax reform that grows the economy, not the debt. I hope more of my colleagues will join me in fighting for this principle in the coming debate."

    H. Con. Res. 71 passed the House by a vote of 216-212. The Senate approved it last week.

    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.