Mitch McConnell on the National Budget

Senator McConnell of Kentucky is not technically supposed to be sending me e-mail. He is supposed to represent Kentucky voters. However, a national organization circulated a petition to a congressional committee, chaired by Senator McConnell, and this is the e-mail he sent to signers of the petition. Note how carefully it's balanced! The committee received indignant e-mails literally from "Left" and "Right":

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Thank you for contacting me regarding our nation’s budget. I appreciate your making me aware of your thoughts, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, federal law requires Congress to adopt a budget resolution each year to serve as a roadmap for appropriations and identify targeted spending, revenue, and budget totals for the year. A budget is not only dollar figures, but a list of priorities reflecting our nation's values.

In your correspondence, you shared your thoughts on the fiscal year 2018 budget resolution (H.Con.Res.71), which passed the U.S. Senate—with my support—on October 19, 2017. This budget reins in government spending, while protecting Social Security and Medicare. In addition, it is a fiscally responsible budget that provides a path to balance, reduces the tax burden, and boosts economic growth.

While I certainly recognize the value and need for many of our country’s federal programs, our nation's unsustainable debt makes it more important than ever that Congress prioritize spending to ensure every tax dollar is spent wisely. In the coming weeks, Congress will continue to discuss the funding and budgetary challenges facing our nation. Throughout these debates I assure you I will continue to work toward achieving a balanced budget that prioritizes the spending reforms necessary to put our fiscal house back in order and get our economy back on its feet.

Thank you for contacting me about this important matter. If you would like to receive periodic updates about issues such as this, please sign up for my eNewsletter at http://mcconnell.senate.gov/, become a fan of my page on Facebook by visiting http://www.facebook.com/mitchmcconnell, or follow my office on Twitter @McConnellPress.

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