Ann Kirkpatrick: “Every day this country is falling deeper in debt. Today we owe more than $12.4 trillion, and by 2016 our debt could be…”

“Every day this country is falling deeper in debt. Today we owe more than $12.4 trillion, and by 2016 our debt could be as much as $20 trillion. After more than a decade of mistakes and neglect by both parties, Washington can no longer afford to ignore this issue. It is time for Congress to get serious about getting Federal spending under control. We should start with our own salaries. Today I am introducing the Taking Responsibility for Congressional Pay Act, which will cut pay for Members of the House and the Senate by 5 percent. This would be the first salary reduction for Members since April 1, 1933, in the heart of the Great Depression. Restoring fiscal discipline in Washington will require some difficult decisions, and every agency has to do their part. Congress needs to lead by example to get the job done by taking action, and not just by making speeches. With this change we are fighting to change the culture in Washington and beginning to make the tough choices it takes to cut waste and find savings. It will be an important step toward bringing back real fiscal responsibility. We are facing historic challenges. It will take historic action to address them. I urge my colleagues to join me in acknowledging the problem and taking responsibility for fixing it.”