Jeb Hensarling issued the following statement today after a historic vote on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution VIDEO

WASHINGTON- U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), Chairman of the House Republican Conference and Co-Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, issued the following statement today after a historic vote on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“Our national debt has topped $15 trillion. That is $128,000 for every household in America. The American people know that it’s because Washington spends too much, it’s not because they’re under taxed. If we try to tax our way out of this, we will be the most highly taxed nation in the world. That’s why the crisis has to be solved from the spending side.

“The deficit is the symptom—it is spending that is the disease.

“Many will say amending the Constitution is a very sacred responsibility, only to be undertaken with the greatest care and deliberation. I agree. But, let us recall the Founding Fathers provided an amendment process. No less than a Founding Father than Thomas Jefferson himself said, and I quote, ‘I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution, I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government, I mean an additional article taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.’

“49 of 50 states have some form of a balanced budget requirement, including Texas. Every family has to balance their budget, every small business. Should we expect anything less from a great nation?

“Unfortunately, Republicans and Democrats can’t seem to agree on spending. They can’t seem to agree on taxes. But can’t we all agree as Americans that it’s at least way passed time to stop mortgaging our children’s future and bankrupting the greatest nation in history? Even though I am disappointed that today’s vote failed, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to keep up the fight for a permanent solution to our spending-driven debt crisis. Let’s save our country. Let’s amend the Constitution. Let’s balance the budget.”

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For additional information, contact: www.gop.gov/ House Republican Conference Press Office (conferencepress@mail.house.gov)

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: HouseConference