Issue Position: Government Reform

Issue Position

I am a firm believer in the more limited government, the better. While there is an appropriate role for the federal government to play, this should be reserved for those instances when constitutionally required, absolutely necessary or when it is not possible for the states alone to address concerns. As an advocate for states' rights, I am a cosponsor or H.Res.1006, which reaffirms Congress' commitment to the 10th Amendment.

We cannot spend, borrow and tax our way to prosperity. The runaway government spending in the past few months places burdens on our children and grandchildren and future generations of Americans. The federal government should always work to meet the needs of its citizens, but it must never lose sight of its responsibility to protect the taxpayer and promote the government's long-term financial solvency. Although many Americans and Arkansans are struggling, spending more taxpayer money to expand government programs or continually bailout the private sector is not the right way to revive our economy. The best way to do that is by allowing families to keep more of their income, invest in the infrastructure of our country, and create lasting jobs.

The framers of the Constitution designed our democracy with a system of checks and balances. I have concerns that "czars' circumvent that system because there is a lack of transparency, oversight and accountability. These members of the Administration's staff may have a very influential role in our policies but their job descriptions aren't clear and their qualifications haven't been disclosed. The American public has a right to know the backgrounds of individuals who are responsible for making decisions that have the potential to have a lasting impact on our country. The excessive appointing of these czars equates to more staff and more spending of taxpayer dollars. That's why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3226, the "Czar Accountability and Reform (CZAR) Act of 2009, which would eliminate all funding for czars. I am also a proud cosponsor of H.Con.Res.185. This requests that the President report to Congress on the responsibilities and qualifications of appointed czars similar to nominees who state their qualifications and disclose their associations as part of the Senate confirmation process and requests that the President certify that the czars will not act outside their authority.

As a committed fiscal conservative I recognize that Congress needs to get federal spending under control by reforming the earmarking process. In 2010 I joined House Republicans in voting to impose a one year moratorium on earmarks. While not all earmarks are illegitimate, the system is definitely broken and needs to be reformed. At the beginning of the 110th Congress, I supported H.Res.6, which changed internal House rules to provide full transparency in the earmarking process. I also cosponsored H.Con.Res.263, which would have established the Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform. The commission would have studied and reported to the House and the Senate on the practices of the legislative and executive branch regarding earmarks in authorizing, appropriation, tax, and tariff measures.

Source