Conservative coalition demands fiscal responsibility from Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 11, 2017
Contact: press@defensepriorities.org

WASHINGTON, DC—This morning, a coalition of public interest advocates sent a letter to Speaker of the House Paul D. Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calling on them to use every opportunity to advance fiscal responsibility this Congress.

With a national debt exceeding $20 trillion and climbing, fiscal responsibility should be the top priority for Congress. The U.S. government currently borrows nearly $1 million per minute. This is unsustainable, and our leaders in Congress must actively address this problem. The American people want the federal government to live within its means, to lift burdens on voluntary exchange, and to provide appropriately for the common defense.

Securing these goals requires setting priorities in all federal spending, including both discretionary—defense and non-defense—and autopilot spending. Total discretionary spending accounts for approximately 30 percent of annual outlays, while net interest, pensions including Social Security, and health care account for most of the rest of federal spending.

Our strong military is made possible by our economic prosperity. Taxpayer advocates and defense experts recognize that the biggest threat to our national security is our nation’s debt. Defense Priorities has joined Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks, Tea Party Nation, Center for Freedom & Prosperity, Coalition to Reduce Spending, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Concerned Veterans for America, Coalition for a Strong America, Generation Opportunity, Free the People, and Americans for Constitutional Liberty to encourage Congress to address the looming debt crisis now.

Click HERE to read the coalition letter in its entirety.