Natalie Gonnella
As the country weighs in on the GOP's revolutionary proposal for the 2012 budget, GOP freshmen have been quick to offer their support and appreciation for Congressman Paul Ryan's bold leadership.
With Congress's newest Republicans having campaigned during the 2010 election cycle on bold platforms promoting serious budgetary reforms and the need for courageous, innovative leaders in Washington, here's a look at what they had to say about Ryan's recent efforts:
There is little debate that our nation is in financial peril. Our national debt exceeds $14 trillion—that’s over $45,000 for every man, woman, and child. To ensure the prosperity of future generations, we must immediately curb reckless spending and reform entitlement programs, which consume the bulk of the federal budget...Chairman Ryan’s proposal is certainly a step in the right direction...It is important that we keep promises that the government has already made to those over the age of 55, while recognizing the need to reform these programs for younger generations.
Chairman Ryan’s plan delivers something that has been unacceptably scarce in Washington for years: leadership. Without question, Chairman Ryan deserves significant credit for offering such a bold plan, however, simply telling the American public the truth shouldn’t be considered such an unusual step. America is on an unsustainable fiscal path. That is a fact, not an unfounded assertion. This budget puts us on the path to finally pay off our debts, create millions of jobs and save our important entitlement programs. Many have said that Democrats will use this historic budget to demagogue House Republicans. I hope the opposite will be true; I hope that Democrats are ready to join us in recognizing the extent of our debt and help us take the necessary steps to fix the problem.
At a time when the President is choosing to punt, House Republicans are coming forward with the solutions the American people called for last November. This resolution cultivates certainty for private-sector job creation through pro-growth tax reforms and implements spending controls. The budget also tackles the much needed fundamental tax reform, which is a vital component for refueling our economy. In addition to paving a way for our nation get back on track toward economic security and prosperity, the Republican budget also addresses entitlement reform by protecting and strengthening essential programs such as Medicare for today's seniors, and for our children and grandchildren. One political party is not solely responsible for this debt crisis. However, the true test lays in our next step -- How we control spending and budget to ensure the fiscal soundness of this country for future generations to come.
I joined my colleagues from the House Budget Committee to introduce our 2012 budget that leads where the president has failed. Our budget cuts over $6.2 trillion in government spending and takes real steps to grow our economy, encouraging businesses to grow and hire with pro-growth tax reforms. In short, this budget not only meets, but exceeds the goals of the president’s own debt commission. The budget we put forward today not only cuts Washington big-spending, but caps spending levels for the future. Our budget repeals and defunds ObamaCare; halts the president’s proposed tax hikes; reduces our out of control deficits and begins to pay down our debt so our children and grandchildren can have brighter futures. I am proud to be a part of a Budget Committee and a Republican Majority in Congress committed to changing the way Washington works and reducing the size of government. This budget is a courageous first step to secure America’s future prosperity.
Our current fiscal path is unsustainable and I applaud Chairman Paul Ryan and his colleagues on the Budget Committee on leading where there has been an absence of serious leadership. This budget resolution is a bold proposal that provides a comprehensive plan to rein in the size and scope of the federal government, empowers the private sector to create jobs and puts us on a path to a sustainable and prosperous future, all the while ensuring that we keep our promises to our seniors. It is my hope that we can come together across both sides of the aisle and both chambers of Congress and have an honest conversation about how we once and for all address and eliminate our national debt and restore the American Dream for ourselves and future generations.
Chairman Ryan’s proposal signals we are finally understanding the grave financial situation our country is facing and that we are willing and able to make those difficult decisions...I understand we will be dealing with some very complex issues, like entitlement program reform...It’s certainly not easy, and we will have to dig deep to find some real solutions. But we cannot continue to hide from the problem. We are taking the initiative because prior leadership failed to do so, and now we have no more options, nowhere left to go. We will not continue to jeopardize the future of our country just because we don’t feel like dealing with difficult issues...This is exactly the kind of plan we need to pull our country out of this economic mess. We will reduce our debt, reduce the size of the federal government, and get our neighbors back to work. This is precisely why I ran for office. I do not want my children or future generations saddled with the crushing debt we have placed on them. I want to see small businesses prospering, creating jobs, and investing in our communities again.
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