January 3, 2007
JANESVILLE – First District Congressman Paul Ryan, who will serve as the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee after the new Congress is sworn in this week, today expressed support for the President’s call to balance the federal budget. The President discussed several key goals in an opinion article in today’s Wall Street Journal, emphasizing the need to balance the budget through pro-growth economic policies and spending restraint. Ryan, who has fought for fiscal responsibility throughout his service in Congress, made the following statement: 

“I am extremely pleased by the Administration’s call today to balance the federal budget – without imposing tax hikes on the American people. This has long been one of my top priorities, and I couldn’t agree more. By restraining spending and continuing the pro-growth economic policies that have fueled job creation and surging tax revenues, we can balance the federal budget without resorting to job-destroying tax hikes.”

“I too believe we should balance the budget without raising taxes. Washington does not have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem, and that is where discipline is needed.”

“I hope that members of the new Congress will look at the lessons history has taught us – particularly our experience over the past few years – about the positive impact that broad-based tax relief has on our economy, jobs, and tax revenue. Last Congress, the House passed with bipartisan support my constitutional line-item veto bill. Now we have a tremendous opportunity to move forward in a bipartisan fashion to pass this legislation again, along with meaningful earmark reform, and work to ensure a balanced budget that restrains spending and makes our pro-growth tax relief permanent.”

“I look forward to receiving the details of the Administration’s plan in their Fiscal Year 2008 budget. It is my hope that the Budget Committee then will take the lead, and work in a bipartisan way to achieve the goal of a balanced budget.”