Correspondence from Senator McCain Inbox x
Inbox
12:03 PM (50 minutes ago)  | | |||
December 14, 2011
Mr. Jack Hotchkiss
1234 Somewhere Ave
Kingman, AZ 86409
Dear Mr. Hotchkiss:
Thank you for writing to me to share your views on the serious issues surrounding the federal budget deficit and federal debt. I appreciate hearing from you.
I am an avid supporter of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Since 1983, I have introduced or co-sponsored more than a dozen bills or amendments calling for a balanced budget amendment and I have had the privilege of voting in favor of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution numerous times throughout my Congressional career.
On August 2, the senate voted to raise the debt ceiling by $2.1 trillion in order to cover the projected borrowing needs of the United States government through 2013. While I firmly believe that we need to work hard towards dramatically reducing the federal debt and budget deficit, failing to raise the federal debt limit would have had a traumatic impact on our national credit and economy. The bipartisan agreement reached in the bill called for a formation of a select committee made up of Members of Congress from both Houses and both parties to determine how the federal budget can be reduced by $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years.
As you may know, the select committee failed to reach an agreement on a plan to cut $1.2 trillion from the federal budget over ten years by their Thanksgiving deadline. I am disappointed that they were unable to agree to a bipartisan solution, something which was critically needed when we are facing crushing debt and tough economic times.
This failure has now triggered automatic spending cuts in many parts of government. I fear that these cuts, because they have not been carefully vetted, may be harmful to our national Security. According to Defense Secretary Panetta , the automatic defense spending cuts “would amount to a 23 percent reduction in the defense budget” and “we would have the smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915, and the smallest Air Force in its history.” While we must cut waste from the Department of Defense and in every area of our federal government, I cannot support such drastic cuts to our military that would set off a swift decline of the United States as the world’s leading military power.
Efforts to reduce the federal deficit by reducing spending are critical to the future of our nation. These cuts, however, must be part of a more comprehensive plan that will encourage job creation in the private sector in order to put unemployed Americans back to work. The plan should include comprehensive tax reform that will lower both personal and corporate tax rates, as well eliminate tax loopholes. In addition, Washington needs to reduce the number of government regulations that are strangling private sector growth and job creation.
Furthermore, if we are going to put our nation back on a path to fiscal solvency then we must address the housing crisis. We need to enact policies that will strengthen our housing market and allow more Americans to buy and keep their homes.
Rest assured, my work towards addressing waste is not complete. Congress has all the authority it needs to reduce spending and bring back economic stability. I will continue to examine federal programs to weed out waste, fraud, abuse, and duplication to save taxpayers their hard earned tax dollars and help preserve our national security.
Again, I thank you for your valued input. Please feel free to contact me in the future regarding this or any other issue of concern.
Sincerely,
John McCain
United States Senator
JM/js
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