WASHINGTON–Your elected servants may be forced to balance the federal budget and get spending under control, if Sen. Mike Braun’s amendment is passed and becomes law. While the Senate was expected to pass a short-term spending bill Thursday night, Braun offered an amendment to the bill that would guarantee a balanced budget.
He called the amendment a chance to “get everyone on record”
LISTEN: Sen. Mike Braun talks balanced budget
“It will take political will and discipline to start reforming the main deficit drivers like Social Security, especially Medicare and Medicaid,” said Braun. “One side of the aisle is not interested in that. Our side (Republicans) gives it lip service, but it’s very unlikely that we roll up our sleeves and do it.”
He said the only plans that will work to get it done involve cutting spending.
While the amendment may pass, Braun is skeptical about the actual execution of the would-be guarantee.
“Even when you make a law here, we’ve been most ingenious at undoing it. Like, we’ve had sequestration. We’ve had budget caps.”
In a conference call with reporters Thursday afternoon, Braun bemoaned the nation’s $30 trillion deficit. But, he said getting spending under control would make it possible to balance the budget.
“We spend so much here with so little accountability. We’re borrowing it from our kids and our grandkids,” he said. “It wouldn’t take long if you has the political will and discipline to start it.”
Though Braun is often one of just a few senators pointing out the spending habits of his colleagues, he said Thursday that he doesn’t mind following in the footsteps of people like Sen. Ton Coburn, now deceased, of Oklahoma, and that someone has to do it.
