The federal government spends six million dollars a minute, each minute, every day of the year. This unfettered spending costs each American family over $23,000 a year. Federal government spending is out of control, and it is the responsibility of Congress to fix the problem. If federal spending is not reigned in, we will find it more and more difficult to avoid the looming financial crisis posed by the retirement of the Baby Boomers and the tens of trillions of dollars in unfunded liabilities their future government benefits represent.

That’s why during the FY2008 appropriations process, and in my first year in Congress, I stood on the House floor to offer a series of “fiscal discipline amendments” to hold the line on runaway federal spending.

I will continue seeking to instill fiscal sanity in government, so that we will be able to keep our promises to retirees while providing a sound future for our children and grandchildren.