Rep. Schrader Slams Republicans for Deficit Hypocrisy

Press Release

Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR-05) released the following statement after voting today against the Republican's hypocritical balanced budget amendment:

"Well, after today, I suppose if you look up the word "hypocritical' in the dictionary, you might just see a photo of this Congress. How ironic that, after blowing up the deficit not once but twice to the tune of trillions of dollars, my Republican colleagues have magically changed their minds on whether or not fiscal responsibility matters. Where on earth were they last fall when I called for a deficit-neutral tax bill? And it's even more ironic that in just two months they can pass both an unbalanced budget and this amendment. It's a joke that the next generations won't have time to laugh at as they struggle under the trillion dollar mess we've left behind. Possibly the worst part of this is that they're trying to cover their tracks at the expense of vital programs like Medicare and Social Security. We've completely failed at our job in Congress if our work saddles the next generation with lifetimes of debt, but this amendment doesn't just undercut the next generation -- it's a slap in the face to every generation."

Congressman Schrader is a cosponsor of H.J.Res.107, introduced by Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-7), which would amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the federal government from spending more than it receives in any given fiscal year, except in the cases of war or recession. Unlike the amendment brought to the floor today, Rep. Murphy's amendment protects services like Social Security and Medicare, and provides more flexibility to Congress to respond to recessions and natural disasters.

Source