On the recordNovember 15, 2011
I thank my colleague from Alabama. I would just like to add with all of this that I think the reason why we have such uncertainty in the marketplace with the job creators is because they're looking at us and are saying, You lack fiscal discipline here on Capitol Hill. One of my colleagues said to me, Well, why do we need a balanced budget amendment to do this? Well, quite frankly, because it will tie our hands and force us to do what every single American is doing across the Nation, which is looking at their cash on hand to figure out how much they've got and how much they can spend, balancing the checkbook before they even attempt to pay a bill. And if you don't have it in the form of an amendment, future legislators will be able to undo anything we do here today or tomorrow, and that's why the amendment is critical. It will force us to do what 49 out of 50 States already do, which is what local governments do all across Ohio and across the Nation, which is what families do at their kitchen table each and every month, if not more than a month, balance the checkbook and figure out what's in there. I now would like to yield to my other good friend, the gentlewoman from Kansas.
