Amodei statement on vote to fund government
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brian Baluta (202) 225-6155
December 16, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-2) today issued the following statement regarding his nay vote on the bill to fund the government through FY2012:
"The cost to run the government is something that I need to be able to justify to my fellow Nevadans, to whom I clearly communicated a position of discipline in spending and reducing the deficit. While there is much that I can find to support in this bill, including disaster relief that is offset so as not to add to the deficit, I am disappointed that it does not do more to reduce overall spending.
"Every hour, the federal government spends $148 million it doesn't have. I voted against this bill because it only reduces spending from the previous year by less than $8 billion or roughly two days worth of government spending. In fact, the bill passed today actually spends $24 billion more than the budget the House passed earlier this year.
"As a Member of Congress, the loudest message I can send is through my votes on government spending. With the economy continuing to struggle and Americans look for signs that their government can do something about our $15 trillion debt and avoid another credit downgrade, I could not in good faith vote yes.
"The answer to every problem is not more federal spending, especially when that means burying future generations under a mountain of debt. And unfortunately, a relatively small spending reduction when we're $15 trillion in the red does not, in my opinion, go far enough in the right direction."
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