Proposing An Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Requiring A Balanced Budget for the Federal Government

Floor Speech

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Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my friend, Representative Andy Biggs, proposing a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.

I was a proud cosponsor of this Republic-saving resolution, and I am proud to support it on the floor today.

I also thank Speaker Johnson for bringing this resolution to the floor and fulfilling a promise that was made when we passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

As our national debt rapidly approaches $39 trillion, Washington is long overdue for a heavy dose of fiscal responsibility. It is not just irresponsible anymore. It is a national disgrace, and it is time to put an end to it.

To put our debt into perspective, this year, the Federal Government expects to bring in just over $5.1 trillion in revenue but plans to spend almost $7.1 trillion. That is almost a $2 trillion deficit. Nearly $1 trillion of that spending goes to purely pay interest payments--no principal, purely interest payments--providing no new services, no investment, no return.

If this were a private business, no bank would keep lending it money, yet this is how our Federal Government operates today.

This trajectory is unsustainable. Global markets will not finance U.S. deficits indefinitely. When confidence in our ability to repay fades, we risk a true sovereign debt crisis--collapsed pensions, failing banks, and shuttered Federal programs.

Despite Democratic claims to the contrary, our debt crisis stems from unchecked spending, not a lack of revenue. Without serious reform, we face two damaging options: either, one, print more money, which fueled the Biden-Harris inflation surge; or, two, borrow more, which raises interest rates and slows growth.

Notably, my home State of Georgia must, by law, operate with a balanced budget, so why not our Federal Government? I have told my constituents that I aim to bring north Georgia values to Washington, and fiscal sanity is at the top of that list.

As a fiscal hawk and a member of both the Budget and Appropriations Committees, I look forward to voting ``yes,'' and I implore all of my colleagues to do the same. Let's pass this balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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