The Hill News

The new year begins with disturbing news that our national debt now exceeds the size of our total economic output -- something that hasn't occurred since World War II.

The nation’s ever-growing $15.2 trillion debt has surpassed our $15.1 trillion GDP (gross domestic product). This inauspicious start to 2012 represents a troubling development that will leave a heavy burden on our children and grandchildren.

Against this backdrop, the White House intends to ask Congress this month to raise the nation’s debt ceiling yet again.

Washington remains addicted to spending money it doesn’t have. This pattern of reckless spending by both parties over the past decade must end!

That’s why the very first measure I introduced in Congress was a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. It simply requires the government to tighten its belts while all Americans are tightening theirs. Unbelievably, in the last 50 years, the federal bu! dget has only been balanced five times. The time is now for Washington to make the tough choices necessary to balance the budget for taxpayers today and future generations.

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