Ed Bryant Budget Votes

As a congressman Ed Bryant had a responsibility to help balance the federal budget. But he never felt obligated enough to do it in these instances. Fiscal 1996 Republican Deficit Budget, House Concurrent Resolution 67. This budget resolution would continue the congressional tradition of increasing overall government spending and passing the buck on balancing the budget to a future Congress. This nonbonding seven-year budget plan would run the federal government $155.6 billion in the red during fiscal year 1996 and continue deficit spending until 2002. Even after 2002, the budget would only be “balanced” by stealing $120.7 billion in surplus funds from Social Security and other trust funds, surplus funds that would be needed when the baby boom generation reaches retirement age. This bill called for spending $74 billion more than the fiscal 1995 budget. (May 18, 1995 Congressional Record, page H5309, roll call 345) Ed Bryant voted for this resolution. (Source: The New American Jan 22, 1996) Fiscal 1996 Budget, Conference Report on House Concurrent Resolution 67. Continuing the congressional tradition of passing the balanced budget buck to a future Congress, this budget resolution calls for fiscal 1996 outlays of $1,587 billion (nearly $69 billion more than in fiscal 1995) and a deficit of 170.3 billion, followed by deficits for at least another three Congresses. The bill actually lists a $108.4 billion deficit for fiscal 2002 but claims a “balanced budget” by stealing that amount from Social Security, the Federal Employee Retirement Trust Fund, and other trust funds. (June 29, 1995 Congressional Record, page H6594, roll call 458) Ed Bryant voted for this resolution. (Source: The New American Jan 22, 1996) Temporary Increase in the National Debt Limit/Stealing From Trust Funds, H.R. 3021. This legislation would allow the President to access the surpluses from federal trust funds such as Social Security for two weeks in order to circumvent the $4.9 trillion statutory debt limit which the federal government would exceed within days of the vote. Failure to pass this legislation would require the federal government to spend within its means by preventing further borrowing. (March 7, 1996 Congressional Record, page H1792, roll call 48) Ed Bryant voted for this increase. (Source: The New American July 8, 1996) Increase in the National Debt Limit, H.R. 3136. This legislation would increase the statutory debt limit from $4.9 trillion to $5.5 trillion. (March 28, 1996 Congressional Record, page H3028, roll call 102) Ed Bryant voted for this increase. (Source: The New American July 8, 1996) Fiscal 1997 Republican Deficit Budget, Conference Report on House Concurrent Resolution 178. With this non-binding budget blueprint, the 104th Congress continues to pass the buck for balancing the budget to a future Congress. The practice of government by deficit continues unabated under this conference report. This legislation calls for a planned deficit of $153.4 billion in fiscal 1997, an increase in the national debt by more than $1 trillion over six years, and increases in total federal government spending by several hundred billion annually by 2002. (June 12, 1996 Congressional Record, page H6267, roll call 236) Ed Bryant voted for this resolution. (Source: The New American October 28, 1996) Automatic Funding of Federal Government, Amendment to H.R. 1469. This amendment would put the federal government’s spending on auto-pilot at the previous year’s funding level if Congress and the President fail to pass a budget by the start of the next fiscal year. Rep. David Obey (D-WI) observed that such an action “rewards inaction by the Congress. It rewards lack of hard choices by the Congress… [It] means we cannot increase the [appropriations] that we agree ought to be increased [or] cut the ones that ought to be cut.” In addition, this amendment would allow Congress to side-step its constitutionally derived spending authority. (May 15, 1997 Congressional Record, pages H2761-62, roll call 134) Ed Bryant voted for this amendment. (Source: The New American August 18, 1997) Fiscal 1998 Budget Resolution, Conference Report on House Concurrent Resolution 84. This budget resolution continues the tradition of calling for more deficit spending for the next fiscal year while postponing the “promised” budget for a future Congress to achieve. Specifically, the five-year blueprint contains fiscal 1998 outlays of $1,692 billion and a projected deficit of $90.5 billion. (June 5, 1997 Congressional Record, page H3516, roll call 166) Ed Bryant voted for this resolution. (Source: The New American August 18, 1997) Debt Limit. This bill (S.2578) would increase the public debt limit by $450 billion for a new ceiling of $6.4 trillion on the National Debt. The supposed need for increasing the debt ceiling by $450 billion demonstrates that the federal government is still on a trajectory of out-of-control spending. Instead of raising the legal limit on what the federal government may borrow. Congress should cut spending. (June 27, 2002 Roll Call 279) Ed Bryant voted for this increase. (Source: The New American November 4, 2002)