Hartzler: Fourth District is unified- don't raise the debt limit

In her weekly newsletter, Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler says her district is unified in the belief that spending must be cut before the debt ceiling is raised:

This was a good week as we had a chance to visit with the people of the Fourth District as part of an in-district work week. We met with several groups of individuals and people had quite a bit on their minds.


Residents of the St. Robert-Waynesville area came out over the noon hour on Monday to participate in a Pulaski County Town Hall. It was a great opportunity to get to know each other and to discuss ideas for how we can get our country back on the right track. There was much interest in my recent trip to Afghanistan and the ongoing budget debate on Capitol Hill. People were not shy about sharing their concerns, suggesting proposals for how to reduce the deficit and support our veterans. It was our thirteenth town hall and, like the others, featured a good deal of discussion with common sense Missourians who know we’re in trouble economically, and want a budget that won’t saddle our children and grandchildren with mountains of debt they might never be able to pay back. I’m convinced the experts are not in Washington, D.C. - they are right here in Missouri’s 4th District - and I’m thankful I get to represent them. I also appreciate that they would take time to share their ideas with me.

There is no escaping some of the important issues that are occupying much of our time in Washington – things like runaway spending, the budget, taxes, regulations, and high gas prices. This was National Small Business Week and I heard some concerns from small business owners we are counting on to create jobs. Washington needs to get out of the way so job creation can flourish again.

The budget passed by the House includes fundamental tax reform to ensure that job creators have the confidence they need to hire more workers. It cuts job-crushing spending by $6.2 trillion while rolling back burdensome regulations that stand in the way of entrepreneurs succeeding and creating jobs. Businesses need certainty and economic stability. The budget we passed will help us achieve that goal.

High gas prices seem to be leveling off but they are still too high and are hurting our families and neighbors in Missouri and across the country. I have been talking about the energy bills I co-sponsored that passed the House which will increase domestic oil production and bring down pump prices. This effort includes a bill to restart energy production in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Virginia and to put an end to the Obama Administration’s de facto moratorium on domestic oil and natural gas production in the Gulf. Missourians and Americans throughout this country need a break from high gas prices. One of the best ways of doing it is to use the energy resources our country is blessed with and quit depending so much on foreign countries for our oil!

The question of whether to raise the debt ceiling remains a hot topic. The Fourth District is unified in its message: “Don’t vote to raise the debt ceiling unless Congress reverses Washington’s spending binge.” People I talk to understand that raising the debt limit without spending cuts would endanger job growth. Stanford economist John B. Taylor summed it up best, saying, “Linking the debt limit to spending reductions is good economics in theory and in practice.” He also points out that this proposal to link the debt limit to spending cuts is “essential to a credible return to sound fiscal policy and an end to the ongoing debt explosion.”

The debt and what to do about it are the major issues facing us as we return to Capitol Hill. I intend to stand firm and won’t vote to raise the debt ceiling unless we can get real, permanent, and substantive spending cuts that will change the trajectory we are currently on that is leading us to fiscal insolvency. This is serious business and now is the time to stop Washington’s runaway spending. We can’t keep kicking the can down the road. Our children are depending on us. I’ll have much more to discuss with you on this topic in the coming weeks. As always, I welcome your input and invite you to contact us through our website at: www.hartzler.house.gov. You can call or email me through the site and sign up for our weekly email, Facebook, or Twitter. Together, we can get America back on the right path.