Press Releases

Wilson Opposes So-Called "Balanced" Budget Amendment to U.S. Constitution

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-17) today issued the following statement on Republican efforts to pass a so-called “Balanced” Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which today failed to pass the House of Representatives despite a Republican majority:

“Republicans claim to support fiscal responsibility, but I would like to remind them that the last time we balanced our budget, and even carried a surplus, was under a Democratic president. This was done by making tough bipartisan decisions, not through a constitutional amendment. Sadly, it was a Republican President and a Republican-led Congress that exploded our debt by passing huge tax cuts for the wealthy, waging not one but two wars that weren’t paid for, and creating an unpaid prescription drug program that gave away billions to the insurance companies.

“A so-called ‘Balanced’ Budget Amendment would severely restrict our ability to take emergency action during an economic crisis. At a time when so many millions of people are unemployed, now is not the time to cut indiscriminately and impede our economic recovery.

“I call on the Republican House to do what’s right by working with Democrats on a bipartisan basis to restore economic growth and balancing our budget the right way, not by continuing to promote misguided policies like tax cuts for the wealthy.”

Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term congresswoman representing the 17^th District of Florida, including Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward Counties. She is a former state legislator and school principal and the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school.