WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott announced his sponsorship of Senator Jon Husted’s Principles-Based Balanced Budget Amendment, which would amend the Constitution to require the federal government to balance its budget, just like every American family and business has to do. Once implemented, the amendment would require a supermajority in Congress to authorize any emergency spending that exceeds the nation’s revenues.

As Governor of Florida, Senator Scott implemented policies and made the hard choices that turned Florida’s debt and large budget deficit into a balanced budget, while also cutting taxes, paying off one-third of the state’s debt, and making record investments in education, transportation, and the environment.

Senator Rick Scott said, “In the past five years alone, our nation has added $11 TRILLION to our now $38 TRILLION national debt and fueled inflation for the American people because Washington just can’t stop spending outside of its means. Democrats spent our nation into oblivion for years, making $2 trillion deficits and spending like drunken sailors the norm in Washington, all with zero consideration for the American people left footing the bill. A balanced budget is only a foreign concept in Washington. Families across our nation don’t have the luxury of spending money they don’t have; neither do businesses, and neither should our government. I’ve worked for years to rein in this wasteful spending and do what we did in Florida: go through the budget line-by-line and make sure every single dollar spent makes sense for the American people. But, clearly, we have to do more to bring fiscal sanity and change Washington’s dysfunction. Our constitutional amendment will force accountability on Washington politicians, making sure Congress is using your dollars in your best interests and spending within our means.”

This legislation builds on Senator Rick Scott’s Make Washington Work plan to end the tired, dysfunctional status quo in Washington and ensure the U.S. government works in the best interests of American families. This includes:

• The No Budget, No Pay Act prohibits Members of Congress from being paid in a fiscal year until both chambers approve the budget resolution and pass all regular appropriations bills for that fiscal year. Funding the government is a basic job of Congress, and this bill holds members accountable for meeting appropriations deadlines or forgo their taxpayer-funded salaries until the job is done.
• Constitutional Amendments to provide the President line-item veto power, establish term limits for Members of Congress, and require a supermajority to raise taxes or fees on the American people. This joint resolution proposes constitutional amendments that bring much-needed reform to the federal government, prioritizing return on investment for American tax dollars and ensuring Washington is working in the best interests of American families. 
• Repealing automatic pay raises for Members of Congress; and
• His Let’s Get to Work Act encourages every individual who can work to do so, which will help our nation’s economy thrive.

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