Keeping our Economy Strong

Keeping our Economy Strong

I find one of the greatest things about America is not so much about where we are, as in what direction we are heading. To get to where we need to be, we must sometimes drive against traffic and sometimes with it, but we must drive, we must progress, or we will never get to our destination.

As the 110th Congress prepares for the new legislative year, we must keep in mind those top priorities that have guided our country into one of the strongest economic eras in America's history. I look forward to continuing my efforts to protect our national and economic security.

This week in Washington, President Bush submitted a five year plan to balance the budget that will clear the road to success for future generations. This plan will continue the policies that have kept American employment growing steadily since 2003, and letting us, the taxpayers, keep more of our hard earned money. The tax cuts the Republican majority made in the past have fueled robust economic growth and record revenues. Because revenues have grown and Congress did a better job of holding the line on domestic spending, we were able to cut the deficit in half, three years ahead of schedule. America is progressing.

Under the leadership of Republicans, the United States economy has grown nearly three percent over the last four quarters, faster than any other major industrialized country. More than seven million American jobs have been created since 2003, and wages have increased 2.3 percent in the past year, well above the average of the 1990's. Americans are feeling the effects of our strong economy where it counts most, in their paychecks. Now what does it mean to you and me that we have created 7 million new jobs? It means that you have a neighbor down the street or just around the corner who has a new job. What does the increase in wages mean to us in Central Texas? It means you could afford tickets to that bowl game, or could take your son or daughter to that baseball game. Our tax cut means that maybe you were able to take a little better vacation with your family this year. This robust economy and the policies that made it possible are having a real impact in Central Texas.

With the elections behind us, it is vital that we reach across party lines and work together for the best interest of our country, not our party. As your Congressman, I will do everything in my power to ensure tax relief and spending restraints remain at the forefront of the legislative agenda. If my Democratic colleagues share these commitments, we will work together to make America a more secure and prosperous society.

In the late President Gerald Ford's 1976 State of the Union Address he stated, "I am proud of America, and I am proud to be an American. Life will be a little better here for my children than for me. I believe this not because I am told to believe it, but because life has been better for me than it was for my father and my mother. I know it will be better for my children because my hands, my brains, my voice, and my vote can help make it happen."

As your Congressman, I will continue to cast my vote for America's future. In order to secure prosperity for the next generation of Americans, I will work even harder to steer our country in the right direction. We cannot idle. We must keep moving on the road to a better and more thriving society.

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