Jones Again Votes for Balanced Budget Amendment | Eastern North Carolina Now

    News Release:

    WASHINGTON, DC     Yesterday evening, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3), a long-time deficit hawk and a warrior against wasteful spending, voted once again for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution (H.J.Res. 2). In addition to requiring the federal government to balance its budget each year, the bill would require a three-fifths vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the debt limit. While a majority of the House voted to support the bill, it fell short of the two-thirds necessary to approve a constitutional amendment. The final vote tally was 233-184.

    "Washington continues to fail the American people," said Congressman Jones. "The federal government has been running deficits every year since 2001. Recent legislation is making a bad problem worse. The deficit for this year is expected to be near $1 trillion. As a result of large and persistent deficits, the debt has quadrupled: from $5.5 trillion in 2000 to $21 trillion today. The debt is now bigger than our economy, and quickly approaching record levels seen only briefly after World War II. The big spenders are marching us toward bankruptcy, and it's got to stop. I will continue to do everything I can to keep them from pushing America over the fiscal cliff."

    Congressman Jones is a leader in the fight to cut wasteful spending and balance the budget. He has consistently voted against increasing the debt limit, and over the past 14 years, he is the only member of Congress to vote against every bloated federal budget.

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