U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, voiced support on Tuesday for the proposed House Republican Budget, which is scheduled for a vote next week.
“Everyone in America has to balance their own budget, not every 10 years but every year,” Williams said. “This plan gets us to a balanced budget within 10 years. It’s smart, it’s responsible and it’s the right way to get our economy back on track.
The budget proposal, unveiled Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who also serves as chairman of the House Budget Committee, calls for cutting $4.6 trillion in spending over the next decade. The proposal calls for no tax increases. It calls for eliminating President Obama’s health care law, a change to just two tax brackets — 10 percent and 25 percent — for individuals and changes to Medicare policies for future retirees.
“The path to prosperity requires us to make tough decisions, but by applying the same principle that families and businesses use every day, we can balance the budget, cut wasteful spending and fix our broken tax code all without increasing taxes,” Williams said. “I applaud the work of Chairman Ryan and my colleagues on the House Budget Committee and I look forward to the work ahead as we dig in.”
The proposal stands little chance of success in the Democratic-controlled Senate or with Obama, but may mark a starting point for renewed debate on balancing the budget, according to a Tuesday USA Today article.
Senate Democrats intend to unveil their competing budget proposal today, which marks their first budget proposal since 2009. Their plan calls for raising $1 trillion in new revenue while cutting $1 trillion in spending. Details of the Democratic plan have not been released.
White House tours
Williams, on March 6, called Obama’s decision to cancel White House tours a stunt and stressed he will continue to arrange tours of the Capitol.
White House officials, citing staffing reductions as a result of sequestration, canceled tours on Saturday until further notice.
“It is deeply troubling and disturbingly ironic that this president, whose own website says that it is his mission to ‘open up the house to as many people as possible’ is choosing to prevent the American people from accessing the White House,” Williams said. “For many Americans a family or school trip to our nation’s Capitol is a once-in-a-lifetime event. To cancel all public tours, essentially closing the doors of the White House, is wrong.
“This is nothing more than a publicity stunt as it requires minimal federal dollars to allow the public access to the White House. If the president was serious about cutting spending, he would negotiate in good faith with Congress to find more desirable solutions.
“I want to let those who are planning a trip to Washington, D.C., know that the Capitol will remain open. My office is happy to continue to arrange tours of the Capitol and many other historical landmarks, regardless of any reductions in our office budget.”
