🚫 Washington Failed to Balance the Budget

The first piece of legislation I introduced in Congress was a balanced budget amendment, because I believe the federal government should have to live by the same rules Iowa families and businesses already do. Iowans know you shouldn’t spend money you don’t have in the bank — Washington should do the same. 

The problem: Every year, Washington spends well beyond its means, and our debt continues growing. The numbers don’t lie:

📉 Nearly $2 trillion added to the deficit in the last fiscal year alone 

💰 National debt hit $39 trillion this week 

📊 Annual spending continues to outpace revenue with no plan to stop 

In Iowa, we take a different approach. Families budget around what they earn, and farmers plan based on what the market will bear. It’s common sense to hold Washington to the same standard. 

What’s new: This week, the House voted on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution — the same approach I’ve championed since day one.

A majority of the House voted yes — I was proud to be one of them. But because this is a constitutional amendment, it required a two-thirds supermajority to advance. Too few members of Congress were willing to put fiscal discipline ahead of more spending, and the amendment fell short.

Why it matters: As a dad of six, I think about the future we’re leaving for our kids. If we don’t rein in Washington’s spending, the next generation inherits a government that spends more on paying down its debt than investing in their future.

Bottom Line: Washington may not get it yet, but Iowans do — you can’t spend money you don’t have. I’ll keep working to bring that common sense to Congress.