Press Releases

WASHINGTON—Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on H.J. Res. 2, proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Rep. Estes spoke in favor of the proposal on the floor of the House of Representatives and called on President Trump and Congress to implement retroactive cuts to last month’s omnibus spending bill.

“This resolution is a needed start to balancing our budget and reducing our deficit, but we need to do more including rescissions and entitlement reform,” said Rep. Estes. “Hard-working Kansans have to balance their checkbooks every month. I don’t think the federal government should get a pass. This proposal is a great start, but I’m also calling on the president and Congress to implement rescissions to our budget which will work toward our overall goal of fiscal responsibility and stability.”

H.J. Res. 2 would have amended the Constitution of the United States to require federal spending to not exceed federal revenues. This mandate could have been overwritten only by a three-fifths vote of the House and Senate or during any fiscal year the United States is engaged in military conflict that causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security. The resolution also required the president to submit a proposed budget to Congress in which total outlays do not exceed total receipts.

Prior to today’s vote, Rep. Estes spoke in favor of the proposal on the floor of the House of Representatives. Watch his remarks here.

During his remarks, Rep. Estes called on President Trump and Congress to pursue cuts from the omnibus spending bill passed last month through a process called rescission. Enacted in 1974, rescissions have been used by Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton more than 450 times to have Congress rescind particular items in legislation that has already passed.

Rep. Estes’ support of the balanced budget amendment and rescission supports the vow he made following passage of the omnibus budget bill signed by President Trump. Like President Trump, Rep. Estes supported included investments in the military, agriculture, infrastructure and rural broadband, yet expressed his disappointment with the overall spending levels. At the time of passage, Rep. Estes said, “While I support this measure, I am disappointed that this bill continues to grow the deficit and I will hold the president and GOP leadership accountable for the promises made to get our fiscal house in order.”