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Kelly Ayotte on Budget & Economy

 

 


Stop professional politicians from bankrupting our country

Q: What are the most important things that should be done to improve our nation's economy?

A: Kelly Ayotte is committed to strengthening New Hampshire's economy and nurturing new opportunities for business owners. She understands the critical role that entrepreneurs and small business owners play in ensuring that New Hampshire has a vibrant economy. She will fight hard for New Hampshire taxpayers to stop the professional politicians from bankrupting our country. This year's budget deficit is a staggering $1.4 trillion and our national debt is over $12 trillion. Congress cannot continue to spend money that we do not have, and burden our children with a debt they cannot afford.

Source: League of Women Voters 2010 Candidate Questionnaire , Aug 11, 2010

Demand a Balanced Budget amendment.

Ayotte signed the Contract From America

The Contract from America, clause 3. Demand a Balanced Budget:

Begin the Constitutional amendment process to require a balanced budget with a two-thirds majority needed for any tax hike.

Source: The Contract From America 10-CFA03 on Jul 8, 2010

Limit federal spending growth to per-capita inflation rate.

Ayotte signed the Contract From America

The Contract from America, clause 6. End Runaway Government Spending:

Impose a statutory cap limiting the annual growth in total federal spending to the sum of the inflation rate plus the percentage of population growth.

Source: The Contract From America 10-CFA06 on Jul 8, 2010

Disapprove of increasing the debt limit.

Ayotte co-sponsored Joint Resolution on Debt Limit

Congressional Summary:JOINT RESOLUTION: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives: That Congress disapproves of the President`s exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as submitted on Jan. 12, 2012.

Congressional Vote: Vote #4 in the House: 239 Yeas; 176 Nays; Senate declined to vote on the Resolution.

OnTheIssues Explanation: On Jan. 12, 2012, Pres. Obama notified Congress of his intent to raise the nation`s debt ceiling by $1.2 trillion, two weeks after he had postponed the request to give lawmakers more time to consider the action. Congress then had 15 days to say no before the debt ceiling is automatically raised from $15.2 trillion to $16.4 trillion. Hence the debt ceiling was increased.

In Aug. 2011, the US government was nearly shut down by an impasse over raising the debt ceiling; under an agreement reached then, the President could raise the debt limit in three increments while also implementing $2.4 trillion in budget cuts. The agreement also gave Congress the option of voting to block each of the debt-ceiling increases by passing a `resolution of disapproval.` The House disapproved; the Senate, by declining to vote in the 15-day window, killed the Resolution. Even if the resolution were passed, Pres. Obama could veto it; which could be overridden by a 2/3 majority in the House and Senate. The House vote only had 57% approval, not enough for the 67% override requirement, so the Senate vote became moot. The same set of actions occurred in Sept. 2011 for the first debt ceiling increase.

Source: HJRes.98/SJRes34 12-SJR34 on Jan 23, 2012

Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans.

Ayotte co-sponsored Federal Reserve Transparency Act

The Federal Reserve Transparency Act directs: