Source: PRESS RELEASE, 3/25/15

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after voting on the FY16 Budget Resolution, A Balanced Budget for a Stronger America:

“One of my most important responsibilities in Congress is to ensure that we are paving a path forward that guarantees economic certainty and prosperity for future generations. Today’s balanced, pro-growth budget fulfills this very obligation to hardworking North Carolinians.” 

“This budget addresses drivers of our debt by cutting $5.5 trillion in spending while prioritizing funding for a strong national defense. As the representative of Fort Bragg, it’s imperative our military is adequately funded and that they receive the necessary appropriations for troop training, equipment and compensation.” 

“Perhaps most importantly though, this budget does something President Obama’s budget has yet to do during his seven years in office– it balances. Not only does this budget balance in less than 10 years, but it will do so without raising taxes of hardworking Americans.”

This afternoon, the House of Representatives voted to establish a budget for the United States government for Fiscal Year 2016 and set the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. A summary and key facts detailing the budget is provided below, courtesy of the House Budget Committee.

Balances the Budget
• Balances the budget in less than 10 years without raising taxes, in contrast to the President whose budget never balances
• Cuts $5.5 trillion in spending – higher than any previous House Budget Committee proposal 
• Calls for a fairer, simpler tax code to promote job creation and a healthy economy 
• Places the country on a path to paying off the debt by growing the economy and making government more efficient, effective and accountable
• Calls on Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution

Repeals Obamacare
• Repeals Obamacare in full – including all of its taxes, regulations and mandates
• Promotes freedom of choice, affordability, and patient-centered health care solutions
• Eliminates IPAB, an unelected, unaccountable board of bureaucrats charged with making coverage decisions on health care

Ensures a Strong National Defense
• Provides for a strong national defense through robust funding of troop training, equipment and compensation
• Boosts defense spending above the president’s levels while putting in place a plan to responsibly address the current spending caps and the threat of sequester 

Secures Our Future
• Ends the Obamacare raid on Medicare
• Strengthens Medicare by making structural improvements to save the program
• Eliminates the “double dipping” of Disability Insurance and Unemployment Insurance
• Prevents the president’s plan to raid the regular Social Security Trust Fund

Restores Federalism
• Rejects the notion that Washington knows best and devolves power back to the states
• Promotes innovation and flexibility for Medicaid, nutrition assistance, education and other programs

Cuts Waste, Corporate Welfare and Improves Accountability
• Cuts waste, eliminates redundancies and ends the practice of Washington picking winners and losers in our economy
• Calls for reforms to the regulatory system to improve transparency, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability