Stenberg: America Needs a Real Balanced Budget Amendment, Not another Election-Year Gimmick

Dec. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Nebraska State Treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Don Stenberg, today urged members of the U.S. Senate to vote in favor of the Hatch/Lee balanced budget amendment and reject the Udall/Nelson Democrat-led “phony” version.

“Today, the U.S. Senate has an opportunity to vote on a balanced budget amendment that will have real impact on out of control spending. I urge the members to vote in favor of the Hatch/Lee balanced budget amendment and reject the phony, election-year gimmick supported by Ben Nelson and his Democrat colleagues,” Stenberg said.

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“The Udall/Nelson amendment won’t adequately restrain federal spending and is likely to lead to increased taxes rather than reduced spending.”

“What the Democrat version will do is let members of the Senate say they voted for a balanced budget amendment while knowing that the amendment will not seriously obstruct the out-of-control spending machine in Washington,” Stenberg said.

“The Udall/Nelson amendment requires only a 3/5 vote of each house of Congress to override the balanced budget requirement and requires only a majority vote to increase taxes to comply with the amendment. This is a prescription for increased taxes, rather than restrained spending,” Stenberg said.

“I strongly urge Sen. Nelson and his Democrat colleagues to vote in favor of the Hatch/Lee balanced budget amendment which has the support of all 47 Republican members of the United States Senate.”

“That amendment requires a two thirds vote of both houses to override the balanced budget requirement, requires a super majority of two thirds of both houses to increase any tax and would limit federal spending to 18 percent of gross domestic product,” Stenberg said.

“By voting yes on Hatch/Lee, the Senate can begin to truly rein in spending so we can balance the budget, reduce the debt, and get our economy growing. If the Nelson amendment passes instead, the government will continue to grow, endangering our liberty and expanding our debt to levels we cannot sustain,” Stenberg said.

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Mr. Stenberg served as Nebraska Attorney General from 1990-2002 and was elected Nebraska State Treasurer in 2010. GOP U.S. Senate nominee in 2000 against Ben Nelson. Genuine, lifelong conservative. Supports 2nd Amendment, pro-life, balanced budget.