By Cong. Michael Conaway
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. During the month of August and the 1st week of September I held 24 Town Hall meetings in District 11 under the premise of America Speaking Out". In meeting after meeting it was clear to me there was one message you wanted me to take back to Washington and shout from the top of the Capitol dome: Stop the Spending. I couldnt agree more.
Unfortunately trying to convince our Speaker and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do this is not an easy task.
I believe we must cut spending immediately by cancelling unspent stimulus funds saving $266 billion and ending the bailouts of private businesses and state and local governments permanently.
We need to put a freeze on Congress budget eliminate unnecessary federal programs hold weekly votes in the House to cut spending and reform the
budget process and address entitlement reform. I am committed to restrain spending and put our fiscal house back in order.
House Republicans released a new governing agenda to the American people last week focused on addressing
their top priorities. This
Pledge to America" is the culmination of months of long engagement with the American people through the America Speaking Out project which has sought their ideas and priorities for Congress.
Among other things the agenda tackles:
- Strengthening & securing our border
- Stopping the January 1 2011 tax increases
- Cutting the budget immediately
- Repealing the healthcare legislation and
- Replacing it with solutions to bring down costs
- Enacting a 72 hour rule on every piece of legislation brought to the House Floor
- Requiring bipartisan debate on all spending bills
- Ending government control of Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae and
- Ensuring real accountability & transparency.
The America Speaking Out project was developed as part of an official effort to increase the dialogue between Americans and their Congress.
By visiting their interactive website Americans are provided a new platform to share their priorities and ideas for a national policy agenda. I want to thank everyone who took time out of their days to come visit with me while I was making my way across District 11.
It has been an immense help to me as I have gathered a wealth of information as to what your priorities are as we move forward with our new
agenda in Congress.
Another issue that continues to be hot on peoples minds is job creation.
I believe that Washington cannot magically make jobs appear for people back in West Texas as our President seems to think. However there are things that can be done to help aid in job growth such as stopping the tax hikes on working families and small businesses and cutting government red tape.
We need to provide incentives for small business growth and reduce unnecessary paperwork. We need spending cuts instead of more stimulus spending.
America cannot endure Washingtons careless spending habits any longer. The Majoritys misguided agenda has sent our country too far in the wrong direction.
Having enlisted the voices of the American people we are now well prepared to move forward and restore the founding principles that this
great nation was built upon.
We pledge to begin fighting for these solutions today.
A Pledge to America" can be viewed here.
