Today, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement after voting against a so-called deal to avert the fiscal cliff by imposing job-killing taxes and failing to address America’s spending and debt problems:

“Many hours of negotiations went into crafting a deal to avert the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’. I want to thank Speaker Boehner for his efforts to make the best out of a very bad situation. However, I cannot support the end result of the negotiations. The Congressional Budget Office has predicted this deal will add nearly $4 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years. The only way we can truly avoid going over any fiscal cliff is by making fundamental and permanent reforms to end Washington’s spending addiction. Permanent spending controls are needed to ensure this Congress, and all future Congresses, do not spend our children and grandchildren into oblivion.

“This deal to avert the ‘fiscal cliff’ will make it harder to grow the economy and create jobs. Small business owners and family farmers, not just the wealthiest of Americans, will now have to decide how to pay an increased tax burden. Chances are they will be forced to let employees go, cut hours and benefits and postpone hiring new workers. Not to mention this deal does nothing to address the biggest burden facing America’s economic growth, our mounting national debt.

“With respect to farm policy, Congress cannot expect farm families to continue producing the safest, most abundant and affordable food supply on the planet without the certainty provided under a long-term Farm Bill. The House Agriculture Committee passed a fiscally sound, bipartisan five-year Farm Bill in June that would provide producers with the ability to plan well into the future. The short-term policy extension included in the fiscal cliff deal would hurt producers in Arkansas and around the country.

“After weeks of uncertainty and political games, many people will be relieved their taxes won’t go up. However, our nation continues speeding toward the real fiscal cliff by not implementing permanent spending controls that would require Congress to budget responsibly.  Over the next year I will continue calling on my colleagues to end the failed fiscal policies that created our current financial disaster and instead enact permanent spending controls.”

Today, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) issued the following statement after voting against a so-called deal to avert the fiscal cliff by imposing job-killing taxes and failing to address America’s spending and debt problems:

“Many hours of negotiations went into crafting a deal to avert the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’. I want to thank Speaker Boehner for his efforts to make the best out of a very bad situation. However, I cannot support the end result of the negotiations. The Congressional Budget Office has predicted this deal will add nearly $4 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years. The only way we can truly avoid going over any fiscal cliff is by making fundamental and permanent reforms to end Washington’s spending addiction. Permanent spending controls are needed to ensure this Congress, and all future Congresses, do not spend our children and grandchildren into oblivion.