The Balanced Budget Amendment Vote

News Release from www.GOPHawaii.com

HONOLULU – Hawaii Republican Party Chairman David Chang released the following statement regarding today's vote on the Balanced Budget Amendment in Congress.

"It's disappointing that Hawaii Representatives Hirono and Hanabusa voted against a measure that would require Congress to balance the nation's budget. Yesterday, our national debt hit a record high of $15 trillion. Now, more than ever, Hawaii needs fiscally responsible leaders in Congress.

“Hawaii families live within their budgets and make sacrifices. It's hard to understand why both Hirono and Hanabusa would oppose this measure and hold the Federal Government to a different standard. This balanced budget vote is not a party-line issue. Twenty-five Democrats supported the measure. It is unfortunate that Hirono and Hanabusa could not also find the courage to support this bipartisan initiative."

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Hanabusa Says ‘No’ to Balanced Budget Amendment

News Release from www.Djou.com

As is clearly evidenced by today’s vote in Congress, elections matter. Earlier today, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa voted against a Balanced Budget Amendment. A bi-partisan majority, including 25 Democrats voted to support the measure, H.J. Res. 2, to balance the federal budget, but the measure fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass.

In contrast, Charles, when he was in office, sought from day one to fulfill his promise to the people of Hawai ‘i to create jobs by reducing wasteful spending. Charles’ first official act as your Congressman was to cosponsor a Balanced Budget Amendment, which would have forced the federal government to live within its means. During his term in Congress, Charles stated:

“First, we need to balance the budget. We’ve had balanced budgets in the past. Fifteen years ago, Bill Clinton and a Republican Congress worked together to balance the budget. In response, the economy boomed. But, as always happens, Congress fell back into the habit of spending, borrowing and taxing.

We can end that destructive cycle by adopting a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. A balanced budget amendment would require the federal government to live within its means by directing Congress to spend only what the Treasury takes in as revenue. There would be an exception for times of war and national emergencies.

Balancing the budget is not a radical idea. Millions of Americans and thousands of small businesses balance their budgets. They create goals, examine income, and make tough decisions with limited resources. The federal government must do the same.

This isn’t a decision that we can put off. The national debt exceeds $13.5 trillion or $42,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. At the current rate of federal spending, our debt will exceed the size of our economy in the next two years. The Chairman of the Federal Reserve, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State all say that our national debt poses a threat to the stability and security of America. Let’s end the threat.

A balanced budget amendment is pending in Congress. I’ve signed onto the proposed amendment as a cosponsor. I call upon my colleagues, and any candidate for federal office, to pledge support for the balanced budget amendment. “

Responding to news that Rep. Hanabusa voted against a Balanced Budget Amendment, Dylan Nonaka, Charles’ campaign manager and spokesperson while Charles is on deployment in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, stated:

“It is troubling that Rep. Hanabusa continues voting with her party 95% of the time instead of looking out for the best interests of Hawai`i. Requiring the government to balance its budget is a reasonable and necessary measure given the massive size of our debt. This is what all working families must do with their own budgets. Rep. Hanabusa should stand up for the people of Hawai`i. We cannot continue to spend money as if we had an endless supply.”