Congressman Long was born and raised in Missouri’s 7th Congressional District where he proudly serves his constituents today.
Congressman Long has always believed we need more lawmakers in Washington, D.C. with real-world experience. He owned and operated auction and real estate businesses in southwest Missouri before running for office.
Voted ‘Best Auctioneer in the Ozarks’ 9 years straight, it’s no surprise he has been inducted into both the National Auctioneers’ Association Hall of Fame and the Missouri Professional Auctioneers’ Association Hall of Fame. His motto in the Auction business was “When you want it done right” and that attitude holds today. While he’s known for his unconventional, out of the box thinking, it all gets back to trying to do his best whether that’s selling grandma’s antiques or negotiating with his colleagues on Capitol Hill for the best outcome for his constituents. He’s known for his good nature and humor in Washington which both serve him well when negotiating with colleagues on the other side of the aisle.
Our nation’s deficits are not because we are taxed too little, but because Washington spends too much. I disagree that the Bush tax cuts, or any tax cuts, are responsible for deficits because this assumes it is the government’s money and they allow us to keep some of it. Wealth belongs to those who work for it and the American people have agreed to give some of it to the government for critical priorities, not pork barrel projects.
I am a proud cosponsor of a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would limit the ability of the government to spend more than it takes in or to tax the American public beyond a fixed percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This amendment would force responsible spending practices by Congress and help us pay down the national debt. If we don’t act now, we will suffer permanent economic harm from our excessive tax and spending burdens.