In the 112th Congress, Senate Democrats Haven’t Even Proposed A Budget
As a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006, Jon Tester (D-MT) repeatedly expressed his support for a balanced budget and routinely pilloried Republicans for their fiscal record in Washington.
Yet today marks a full 750 days since Tester and the Democrat-controlled Senate have passed ANY budget, let alone a balanced budget, something which Tester has also never once helped to pass since coming to Washington. In fact, in the current 112th Congress, Senate Democrats have yet to even propose a budget, let alone debate and pass one. And in just the 750 days since Tester and his fellow Democrats who run the Senate have failed to pass a budget, the federal debt has risen by an additional $3.1 trillion.
“Every month, every Montana family has to put together a budget and live within their means, yet Jon Tester and his fellow liberal Democrats apparently don’t believe they should be held to that same standard in Washington,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond. “Passing a federal budget each year is the most basic responsibility of the Congress, but for more than four years Tester has been content to kick the can down the road and keep maxing out the government credit card. Now here we are after 750 days, and Tester and his fellow Democrats won’t even propose a budget, let alone pass one.”
Background…
As Democrats continue to spend, Americans are still waiting for their budget:
- “… it’s been more than 700 days since the Democrat-controlled Senate has actually passed a budget.” (Andrew Stiles, “Conrad the Cowardly Budget Chair?” National Review, 05/06/11)
- “It has been more than 700 days since Senate Democrats have voted on a budget. Republicans sent a letter to Conrad this week demanding to see a budget before they are forced to vote on it. Conrad has not responded.” (Conn Carroll, “Morning Examiner: The most important number of the week,” The Examiner, 05/06/11)
- “Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) says he has no immediate plans to mark up a budget, as members of his committee continue to disagree over spending cuts and tax increases….Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) cast doubt on whether Conrad’s effort will succeed. ‘I don’t know there is going to be a Conrad budget,’ Baucus said.” (Alex Bolton, Senate Dems’ Budget In Limbo, The Hill 5/17/2011)
Since the Democrat-controlled Senate last passed a budget, the federal debt has risen by an additional $3.1 trillion:
- On April 27, 2009, The National Debt Was $11.2 Trillion. (Treasury Direct Website, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 5/18/11)
- Today, The National Debt Is Over $14.3 Trillion. (Treasury Direct Website, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 5/18/11)
And aside from not passing a budget, Senate Democrats aren’t doing much of anything else either:
- “The legislative snoozefest that has been the U.S. Senate this year isn’t likely to change anytime soon …” (Steven T. Dennis, “Senate Faces Modest Agenda as Debt Limit Looms,” Roll Call, 05/01/11)
- “Even the modest agenda laid out by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has begun to stall.” (Steven T. Dennis, “Senate Faces Modest Agenda as Debt Limit Looms,” Roll Call, 05/01/11)
- “Through last week, the Senate had held only 70 roll-call votes, the lowest level through this point in the year since 1997. About a quarter of those votes have been on nominations — many of them noncontroversial.” (Manu Raju, “Slow-go Senate avoids tough roll-call votes,” Politico, 05/18/11)
But As A Candidate For the Senate In 2006, Tester Expressed Support For A Federal Balanced Budget:
Tester: “Because I Am Of The Belief That You Take Care Of Your Own Self And You Don’t Pass Your Debts On To Your Kids. We’re Passing An Incredible Debt On To Our Kids . . . That’s Not Right. Let’s Be Fiscally Responsible. Let’s Have A Fiscally Balanced Budget.” TESTER: “My folks did not teach me to not have a fiscal balanced budget. It’s absolutely critical. . . . You cannot make the claim that you are not a borrower and spender, because you are. And I think that’s very sad. Because I am of the belief that you take care of your own self and you don’t pass your debts on to your kids. We’re passing an incredible debt on to our kids. . . . In my opening statement I talked about the kind of abilities and gifts we give our children to be successful, we’re saddling them with a debt of what is it . . . 45, 50 thousand dollars? That’s not right. Let’s be fiscally responsible. Let’s have a fiscally balanced budget, just like we do in the state of Montana. We don’t deficit spend here, we don’t have to at the federal level.” (Montana Senate Debate, Whitefish, MT, www.c-spanvideo.org, 6/25/06)
- Video Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95XYdyJ-ybQ
