WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Rick Crawford released the following statement on, H.J. Resolution 2 – Balanced Budget Amendment. The bill failed to meet the 2/3 majority required for passage with a vote of 261 to 165.

“Today’s vote was completely irresponsible. In the last 3 years the national debt has increased 34%. A Balanced Budget Amendment would have been a step towards financial sanity, but instead Members of Congress continue to be short-sighted and unwilling to be accountable for the dollars they spend,” said Crawford. “Today’s disappointing vote shows that some in Congress still don’t understand that the federal government cannot continue borrowing 42 cents for every dollar it spends. It’s shameful that some in Washington are more concerned about the next election and not the next generation of Americans. If anyone wonders what is wrong with Washington all they need to do is watch the vote from today when some Members of Congress appallingly applauded the Balanced Budget Amendment’s defeat.

The Senate must also vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment before the end of the year due to the terms of the bill passed last August that lifted the nation’s debt ceiling.