Blog: August Is No Recess

Statement

This week began the traditional August recess for the U.S. House of Representatives. Even though it is called a recess, the month of August is no break for Members of Congress.

Since the House went into recess, I have been busy back here in the district touring factories, rehabilitation centers, and retail stores connecting with constituents and finding out their concerns. It is during these tours that I find out the struggles small business owners are facing as a result of an out of control executive branch bent on destroying innovation and entrepreneurship. I hear the stories and see first hand how the decisions made in Washington, D.C., are impacting constituents back home in the Fourth District of Arkansas.

During these visits, I am seeking facts from constituents I can take back to Washington to make clear to other Members and leaders in the House how policies are impacting constituents back home. My goal since taking office has been to reduce the regulatory hassles and give citizens the freedom to innovate and grow their businesses.

While we must reduce the regulatory burdens placed on local business, we must also reduce wasteful spending and the out of control growth of our federal government. By reducing the regulatory burdens businesses face, we can reduce the bloated government bureaucracy that supports unnecessary and out of touch regulations.

During my travels across the Fourth District's 33 counties, I will be working hard to educate you and your neighbors on just how out of control and bloated our government is by hosting Coffee with the Congressman across the district's various cities and towns. I have already hosted three such events in El Dorado, Malvern, and Monticello.

During these events, I will present you with information that clearly illustrates just how out of control our government is. We will discuss the size and growth of the federal government and how it can negatively impact the American economy and America's current and future generations.

To give you a taste of the information presented at these coffees, take a look at information I present about our nation's spending versus revenues. By 2025, it is projected that the U.S. will pay $808 billion in interest on debt. That is nearly $1 trillion just on interest, not the debt itself.

When we look at spending on the interest on our debt versus spending on all other federal programs, no program in the federal budget comes close to what we pay in interest on debt. The next-closest projected budgetary line item by 2025 is the defense budget at $646 billion, a full $162 billion less than the amount we pay in interest for our debt.

Comparing the amounts spent on interest versus other programs, it is no wonder the United States is unable to provide the funding necessary for basic needs like roads. That is why I will be on the road this month. I will be meeting with you and finding out what concerns you. But I also hope to educate the Fourth District on the challenges facing our nation.

I hope to see you on the road!

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