Boehner calls for president, Democrats, to support Balanced Budget Amendment
July 15, 2011 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference with Republican leaders today, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) called on President Obama and the Democrats running Washington to support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. Boehner said the Amendment would help “stop the Washington spending binge” and “create a better environment for long-term job growth.” A link to the video and text of Boehner’s remarks are below: 

          “I’ve told the president that his debt limit increase can only pass the House if it includes spending cuts that are larger than the increase in the debt limit, that there are no tax increases attached to this, and that serious reforms have to be enacted to restrict future spending. And I can’t think of anything that would do more to ensure such spending restraints are set in stone than implementing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. 

          “The Amendment that we vote on next week, frankly, it’s just common sense. It says the government can only spend what it takes in, and places real limits on the ability of politicians to increase taxes or to increase spending. This common-sense measure can only become a reality if enough of our Democrat colleagues join us in voting for it and sending it to the states. 

          “The American people are still asking the question: ‘where are the jobs?’ Democrats said that the ‘stimulus’ spending bill that they all voted for would keep unemployment below 8 percent. Unemployment today is at 9.2 percent. And after three years of trillion-dollar deficits and the ongoing threat of tax hikes, job creators continue to be frozen with uncertainty. 

          “So we need to stop the Washington spending binge and help create a better environment for long-term job growth. A Balanced Budget Amendment will help us do that. A Balanced Budget Amendment will help ensure that the cuts that we make today are locked in for the future. And a Balanced Budget Amendment will also give private-sector job creators real certainty about what the future fiscal picture looks like from here in Washington. 

          “I’ve long been a supporter of the Balanced Budget Amendment. And I hope the president and Democrat leaders will join us in making sure that we can pass this and send it to the states.”