OnTheIssuesLogo

Marsha Blackburn on Budget & Economy

Republican Representative (TN-7)

 


Across-the-board federal spending cuts

Q: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?

Marsha Blackburn (R): Likely no. Has supported across-the-board federal spending cuts.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. Empower TVA to help bring rural broadband internet access "just as they did with electricity."

Q: Address debt and deficit?

Blackburn: Promote "balanced budget; cut bureaucracy," and "across-the-board spending cuts."

Bredesen: "Pay for corporate tax cuts by closing loopholes."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Tennessee Senate race , Oct 9, 2018

Balanced Budget Amendment with 3/5 vote to override.

Blackburn signed H.J.RES.1& S.J.RES.22

Constitutional Amendment to prohibit outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths rollcall vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts.

Source: Joint Resolution for Amendment to the Constitution 09-HJR1 on Jan 6, 2009

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution.

Blackburn signed Balanced Budget Amendment

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (2/3rds of each House concurring therein), That the article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of 3/4ths of the several States within 7 years after the date of its submission for ratification.

This article shall take effect beginning with the later of the second fiscal year beginning after its ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after December 31, 2016.

Source: H.J.Res.2 11-HJRES2 on Jan 5, 2011

Ban roadway signs indicating Recovery Act funding.

Blackburn co-sponsored End the Stimulus Advertisement Act

Prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for physical signage indicating that a project is funded by such Act.

Under appropriations for FY2012 and FY2013, the total amount available for administrative expenses of an affected agency shall be the amount that would otherwise be available, reduced by 50% of the amount reported to have been expended before the enactment of this Act for such signage.

Requires the head of each affected agency to deposit such reduction amount in the general fund of the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction.

Source: H.R.389 11-HR0389 on Jan 20, 2011

Disapprove of increasing the debt limit.

Blackburn 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-HJR98 on Jan 13, 2012

Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans.

Blackburn co-sponsored Federal Reserve Transparency Act

The Federal Reserve Transparency Act directs: