(Alexandria, VA) –Today, H.J. Res. 2, the Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) introduced by Rep.Goodlatte (R-VA) fell short in the U.S. House of Representatives by a 261-165vote, narrowly missing the 284 votes required to pass. National Taxpayers Union(NTU) Vice President of Government Affairs Andrew Moylan offered the followingcomments upon news of the decision:
“Taxpayers and concerned citizensacross the nation will be disappointed with Congress’ failure to pass aBalanced Budget Amendment. The BBA enjoys support from over 70% Americans, andapproximately 50% of Democratic voters. Unfortunately, Congress failed to votein similar proportions, as only 12 percent of House Democrats supported themeasure.
“At a time of unprecedented fiscalperil for our government, we cannot afford to continue down our current path ofunsustainable spending and debt, any longer. Had the Balanced Budget Amendmentefforts of the 1990s not come just one vote short, it is likely that ournational debt would be on the order of $10 trillion smaller than it is today.Given Congress’ repeated failures to control the budget, and the patentlyabsurd excuses opponents offered today for not setting a more rational course,it is clearer than ever before that the BBA is our only long-term option torein in the government’s fiscal recklessness.
“Despite this setback, there isgood reason for optimism. This BBA vote flew under the radar as obsession withPresidential politics, the Super Committee, and passage of another bloatedspending package took hold. Even with such hurdles, and the defection of fourRepublicans, H.J. Res 2 earned a solid 261 votes. NTU will build on thesepositives, and re-double its efforts to pass a BBA, for the sake of the currentgeneration of taxpayers as well as future ones.”
NTU has served as a leading organization on behalf of a BBAfor more than three decades. Its activities have ranged from grassrootsmobilization, media advertising, and testimony before Congress to activatingState Legislatures for proposing a BBA through the method provided in Article Vof the U.S. Constitution. Moreinformation on NTU’s work, is available at www.ntu.org.