“My colleague from across the aisle says that this is an ideological position on which Republicans will not yield, and he is right—our ideological position is that this country is in a fiscal crisis, and we have got to get this house back in order,” said Simpson from the House floor. “If that’s the position for which we’re being criticized, I welcome that criticism.” Read more »

The House Budget Committee’s proposal reduces taxes and simplifies the tax code. It addresses entitlement spending, and it spurs economic growth. “We’ve done more than just cut spending, we have provided a blueprint of how to achieve the financial goals that Americans want and provided a long term plan to return our government and country to stable footing,” said Simpson. Read more »

“This continuing resolution is the largest spending reduction in our nation’s history,” said Simpson. “These cuts and the open process under which they were considered represent a turning point for our nation, as Congress begins to respond to the concerns of the American people about the size of government and the growing national deficit. Cutting spending by over $100 billion is a huge step in the right direction, but it is only the first step, and Republicans are committed to doing what it takes to reduce federal spending, balance our budget, and get our economy growing again.” Read more »

“Cutting billions of dollars out of our subcommittee’s budget means that we’ve had to make some very difficult decisions, and funding decreases of this magnitude will certainly be felt in states like Idaho that have large percentages of federal land,” said Simpson. “I realize that many of these cuts will not be popular, but the simple truth is that you can’t spend money you don’t have. If we are serious about getting our deficit under control, we have to do what every family in America does every day: figure out what our priorities are and create a responsible budget that reflects those priorities.” Read more »

“Over the last few years there have been several proposals to curtail the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) intrusion into the American homes. These include proposals to implement a flat tax or a national sales tax,” said Simpson. “I believe the most effective course of action is to sunset the current complex and unfair federal tax code and replace it with a simple and fair alternative.” Read more »

“As I talk to farmers, ranchers, and businesses throughout Idaho about the economic challenges they face, the common theme I hear is that tax and regulatory uncertainty has forced them to hunker down and wait out the economic storm, rather than investing in their businesses and creating new jobs,” said Simpson. “If we truly want to get our budget deficit under control, we need to get our economy going again. Regrettably, instead of providing our nation’s job creators with the certainty they need to jumpstart our economy, this bill only creates more uncertainty and piles even more debt on our children and grandchildren through its inclusion of countless extraneous provisions.” Read more »

Sadly, today’s vote to extend unemployment insurance through February 2011 was nothing more than political posturing on the part of the outgoing Democrat majority. The bill is unpaid for and would have added $12 billion directly to the national debt while vast reserves of stimulus money still sits unused. By bringing the bill under a rule that prohibits debate or amendments and requires a 2/3 vote for passage, the Democrats knew it would not pass. Read more »

“During a time when the national debt is nearly $14 trillion, this is unacceptable and the American people are demanding a stop to federal spending,” said Simpson. “This legislation is the first step toward reducing the deficit. It is vital that we pass this bill as soon as possible.” Read more »

“I cannot support any piece of legislation that locks in place for the next fiscal year the unsustainable spending levels of the past fiscal year,” said Simpson, a member of the House Budget Committee. “Virtually everyone in America knows that Congress has to cut spending, and the Continuing Resolution would have been a great place to start. Unfortunately, Democrats have missed yet again an opportunity to cut the federal budget and instead are content to continue down the path of even more spending and borrowing.” Read more »

“All taxpaying Americans have benefited from marriage penalty relief, increased child tax credits, and a reduced tax burden on their income and their investments,” said Simpson. “Right now American families are struggling to make ends meet and small businesses are facing the possibility of laying off employees or closing their doors, and I simply don’t believe that a huge tax increase on families and job creators is the best way to get our economy growing again.” Read more »