Greg Walden: Reaction to State of the Union

‘The formula of spend now and bill the grandkids later hasn’t worked’
By Congressman Greg Walden

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) released the following statement this evening in reaction to President Obama’s State of the Union Address. “As a small business owner for nearly 22 years, I know that you can’t borrow and spend your way into prosperity. “Because of years of record deficits, the national debt has ballooned to a staggering $14 trillion while unemployment hovers near 10 percent nationwide and far higher in many parts of rural Oregon. “The formula of ‘spend now and bill the grandkids later’ hasn’t worked. If nothing is done to rein in spending, CBO predicts the national debt will reach $23 trillion by 2020.

“The freeze in spending suggested by the President locks in record spending increases and amounts to a less than 2 percent cut in deficits over 10 years. We must do better.

“In just the first few weeks of the new Congress, House Republicans have acted on their pledge to repeal the health care law, roll back spending to 2008 levels, and approve with an overwhelming bipartisan majority my bill to cut Congress’ own budget.

“That’s just a start. Much more needs to be done to control spending and curtail job-destroying government rules and regulations.

“The country faces daunting challenges and difficult decisions, so I appreciate the President’s call for a bipartisan way forward. In November, voters delivered a divided government full of checks and balances. While we will have philosophical differences and principled debates, I welcome the opportunity to work with anyone — Republican, Democrat, or Independent — who is serious about really reducing wasteful Washington deficit spending and putting this country back to work again.”