Hatch Blasts White House For Dismissing Balanced Budget Amendment

Sen Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

SALT LAKE CITY – Today, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) blasted the White House for saying a Balanced Budget Amendment to the constitution is “bad for the economy,” and for saying the nation’s over $14 trillion debt “is not a constitutional issue.” The lead sponsor of a Balanced Budget Amendment that has the support of all 47 Senate Republicans, Hatch issued the following statement:

“The Constitution belongs to the people. They get to determine what is a constitutional issue – not the White House. If the debt isn’t a ‘constitutional issue,’ as the White House claims, why is it that every state in the union, but Vermont has a constitutional balanced budget requirement? With our debt climbing higher every single day, the only way to absolutely guarantee that we never end up in this situation again is with a Balanced Budget Amendment that would put a straitjacket on Washington’s ability to spend money we don’t have. The only reason this Administration doesn’t want a constitutional amendment is because they want to keep spending the American people’s money. Senate Republicans will force a vote on this amendment – the question is how many Democrats will join us in making sure we never see a debt crisis like this again.”

NOTE: Today, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, "This is not a constitutional issue,” and that it "is not good for the economy; it doesn't answer the problem, and we need to act because we are capable to doing the work that the American people sent us here to do.”

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Tags: Orrin Hatch, Senator, UT, Utah, White hosue, BBA, Balnced Budget Amendment To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!