Democrats abrogating 'most basic responsibility of governing' by refusing to pass a budget (Rep. John Boehner)

Democrats once called passing a budget “the most basic responsibility of governing,” intoning that “if you can’t budget, you can’t govern.” Yet House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced today that Washington Democrats are cancelling the budget this year, making it the first time in the modern era that the House has not passed a budget. That is the ideology of Washington Democrats: just keep spending taxpayers’ money — with no plan, no discipline and no accountability.

Democratic leaders argue that our nation’s $1.5 trillion deficit this year — and trillion-dollar deficits for as far as the eye can see — make it too hard to pass a budget this year. But every American family knows what Washington Democrats can’t seem to grasp: In tough times it’s more important — not less — to have a budget, to set priorities and to live within your means.

In February, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and I sent a letter to President Obama, inviting him to use his authority under the Budget Act of 1974 to force Congress to consider spending cuts immediately, and pledging to support him should he choose to do so. We renewed our request in a meeting with President Obama at the White House on Feb. 9, but never heard back from the White House. Whip Cantor and I sent a follow-up letter on May 4. Again, that request fell on deaf ears, even though since 1974, presidents from both parties have used this authority to submit 1,178 rescissions totaling $76 billion. 

This year alone, Washington will spend a record $3.6 trillion. That’s $31,000 per household, or one out of every four dollars made in America. But instead of cutting spending to create jobs, out-of-touch Democrats are doubling down.  In fact, since last year, the president has signed into law $1.8 trillion in new government spending and $670 billion in new job-killing tax increases, which has exploded the deficit and pushed the national debt over the $13 trillion mark, a number that will hit nearly $20 trillion by 2015.

More than 100 economists have told us a fiscally responsible budget will help create jobs, and the American people know they’re right. House Republicans have offered better solutions to cut spending now and impose real spending caps in the future. We know that higher taxes, higher deficits and more debt are not the answer. That’s why the majority leader is dead wrong about the future of this country, and what we need to do — right now — to make sure the American dream is alive and well for our kids and grandkids.