On the recordJuly 11, 2017
This Saturday, my staff and I finished our 34th townhall in the home of one of America's greatest citizens: my mentor and my hero, Bob Dole. At every location we go, most often, several people ask me about the $20 trillion of deficit this country has and our debt, the $600 billion of deficit we have every year. Americans work too hard and there are too many worthwhile functions of government for the Federal Government to irresponsibly spend taxpayer dollars. From the time I started thinking about running for office, it has been a priority of mine to help create a fiscally responsible plan to reduce our annual deficits and national debt. Yet again, this year, 70 percent of our budget is mandatory spending--70 percent of our budget is mandatory spending--and therefore is spent before the annual appropriations discussions even begin. If we hope to eliminate the deficit, we must address mandatory spending programs and be willing to engage in tough conversations. This administration and Congress have taken steps to limit bureaucracy and rein in the size and scope of the Federal Government. In this spirit, we hope Congress stays true to this objective as we debate the upcoming budget in order to ensure that our limited taxpayer dollars are spent where they are most needed. Clark County, Kansas
