Wednesday Jan. 16, 2012
If you missed it, U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski made her first speech on the floor of the House Tuesday night (scroll down for the text of the speech and video of her delivering it). It was broadcast live on C-Span and the focus was the looming debate in weeks to come over the debt ceiling.
Screen grab from U.S. Rep. Walorski’s speech on the floor of the U.S. House.
Walorski’s central message was the need to zero in on cutting government spending as a means of controlling U.S. debt.
“The truth is that the federal government is borrowing an unthinkable 46 cents for every dollar it spends while throwing our children under the weight of the bill. The truth is that the share of the national debt for every family in Indiana is a staggering $143,190. For every Hoosier it is $52,737,” said the Elkhart area Republican, who represents Indiana’s 2nd District. “The truth, Mr. Speaker, is that it is time for us to stop spending money we simply do not have.”
Her remarks come in line with the Republican stance on the issue, with a focus on reduced government spending. President Obama, who has said he won’t negotiate with Republicans over raising the debt limit, has pushed for a “balanced approach” — a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes.
Here are links to more on the debt-ceiling issue:
- Comparing and contrasting the stances of Obama and U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, from a Christian Science Monitor article.
- Some question using the debt-ceiling debate to leverage spending cuts from Obama, from a USA Today article.
- The Republican and Democratic views on the debt ceiling, as dissected in this CNBC piece.
Here’s the video of Walorski’s speech and below that is the text, as provided by her office.:
Walorski’s speech:
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am deeply humbled to represent the people of Indiana’s Second Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
Today, I speak for the first time before this Chamber on their behalf.
To the hard working Hoosier families in North Central Indiana, thank you for sending me to Washington. I am eager to work with my colleagues to make raising a family and sending a kid to college just a little easier.
To the small business owners in South Bend and Plymouth, please know that each day I will tirelessly work to strengthen the economy so you can employ those who want to work within our community.
To the seniors between La Porte and Peru, you can count on my support to restore the American dream and ensure that America’s best days aren’t in her past but that they can be enjoyed by future generations.
Mr. Speaker, I want to let the people of Indiana know that in the coming weeks they will hear many assertions in the debate over whether Congress should increase the debt ceiling.
The people of Indiana deserve to hear the truth…the entire nation deserves to hear the truth.
The truth is that even as I speak, our national debt is spiraling out of control toward 16.5 trillion dollars.
The truth is that the United States has run not one, not two, not even three, but four consecutive trillion dollar budget deficits.
The truth is that the federal government is borrowing an unthinkable 46 cents for every dollar it spends; while throwing our children under the weight of the bill.
The truth is that the share of the national debt for every family in Indiana is a staggering $143,190. For every Hoosier it is $52,737.
The truth, Mr. Speaker, is that it is time for us to stop spending money we simply do not have.
Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has warned us. He said, and I quote, “the single, biggest threat to our national security is our debt.”
In order to get our debt under control, we must first get our spending under control.
As families in Indiana’s Second District and all across the nation have to prioritize spending, create a budget, and live within their means; so should the Congress of the United States.
Each day that we delay getting our fiscal house in order, we threaten the safety and well-being of those we love and care about the most.
We threaten the opportunity and promise of future generations by limiting the resources we have to invest in infrastructure and education.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the truth is that it is time for us to stop spending money we simply do not have.
As big as our national debt may be, Americans have always been able to come together and solve big problems.
I thank the good people of Indiana for electing me to listen to their needs and bring Hoosier common sense to Washington.
I look forward to working together in Congress on their behalf to tackle our most serious issues.
The clock is ticking…let’s get to work.”
Tim Vandenack is a reporter at the Elkhart Truth newspaper in Elkhart, Ind., www.etruth.com. He can be reached at tvandenack@etruth.com or 574-296-5884. Visit him/subscribe to him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter at @timvandenack.
