Issue Position: Strengthening the Economy

Issue Position

Cutting Taxes

I am deeply concerned about the current economic situation, and every day I talk to folks who are looking for work and trying to make ends meet. I believe the best thing Congress can do to spur job growth and help alleviate this economic downturn is to cut taxes for families and small businesses and pursue growth-oriented incentives that encourage economic activity and job creation.

Supporting Small Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and create over 70% of the new jobs in this country every year. In Congress, I am a cosponsor of legislation that would place a 2-year moratorium on capital gains and dividends taxes, cut the payroll tax rate and the self-employed tax rate in half for two years, and reduce the lowest income brackets by 5% each. We also need to cut the bureaucratic red-tape that stifles small businesses and innovation.

Expanding Broadband

I support broadband deployment to under-served and un-served areas, which I believe is one of the most important factors to economic development and job growth. Since being elected to Congress, I have supported localities and organizations in the First District in their efforts to secure funding through the broadband grant application process. I have also hosted a Broadband Roundtable which brought together stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels to provide folks with an update on expansion efforts and to discuss what future steps need to be taken.

Reining in Out-of-Control Spending

I am working in Congress to hold the line on out-of-control spending. We simply cannot afford to keep spending at the current rate, placing the burden on our children and grandchildren. I have consistently opposed increasing the debt limit, which currently stands at $14.294 trillion. Increasing the national debt by trillions of dollars only exacerbates the challenges our economy faces both now and in the future.

At some point, some tough decisions will have to be made. I am ready for this challenge but I do not see that there are a majority of members of Congress willing to make these tough decisions to balance our budget. That is why I support the SAFE Commission Act, which would establish a national commission to confront our Nation's long-term fiscal crisis by putting everything -- entitlement spending, tax policy, and all other federal programs -- on the table. Congress would then be required to take an up or down vote on the commission's recommendation.

I support and have cosponsored legislation that proposes a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that the federal government should have to budget just like American families have to make ends meet.

We need to prioritize spending and expose the waste, fraud and abuse in Washington. It is time to return to the conservative principle of controlling spending, and part of this includes earmark reform. There is no doubt that the earmark process is broken. I lead the way in fighting for earmark reform and the Republican Conference followed my lead to not to submit any earmark requests this year. I will continue to work to reform the annual appropriations process as we move to cut deficit spending and balance the budget.

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