Chairman Arrington Delivers Opening Remarks at Meeting to Lay Groundwork for Budget Committee Priorities

Chairman Arrington Delivers Opening Remarks at Meeting to Lay Groundwork for Budget Committee Priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) delivered opening remarks at the "Organizational Meeting to Consider the Rules of the Committee on the Budget for the 119th Congress AND the Committee on the Budget's Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 119th Congress."

Click HERE to watch Chairman Arrington's Opening Remarks

Opening Statement as Delivered:

"When I say I'm proud of what we've been able to do collectively. there are some things that we will do because we believe in our hearts and with the deepest of personal convictions that they must be done, whether they're done in a bipartisan way, or if we do it as one caucus or another. Both sides have demonstrated that, but I also strongly believe that when we work together to find common ground, that's a more sustainable proposition for the country.

Thanks to my friend and ranking member, Brendan Boyle for his commitment, and my Democrat colleagues and Republican colleagues. We've done a lot. They might be nickels and dimes, as I would call them in West Texas, not the big dollar changes. But nickels and dimes add up to fixing the budget process, which is completely dysfunctional.

As my good friend Tom McClintock would say, "The fault is not in our stars, it's in ourselves." Nevertheless, we passed 17 bills out of this committee in one Congress, which is more than any Budget Committee since its formation in 1974. Eleven of the 17 were done on a bipartisan basis. These bills would make the process more accountable, more responsible, and better for the country as a result.

Mr. Boyle, you had [a bill] that you led where I was in a supporting role that became law that gave CBO greater access to data. They can't be expected to produce accurate projections if they lack good data. You helped in that endeavor. Glenn Grothman got his first bill passed, not only on the House floor but signed into law, to reduce the unnecessary and burdensome reports that have no meaningful effect other than to waste time and taxpayer money.

We did it together so my call to you all, as we look ahead is, yes, there will be things we will do like our 10-year balanced budget resolution. We will probably end up doing that as a partisan effort, but I hope that we can continue to work on fixing the broken budget process together. There's more work to be done there.

Secondly, we have to continue sounding the alarm for the American people that this country and their government are on a completely unsustainable fiscal path. Now, I may have one way to address it. You may have another, but at the end of the day, we must do something. Some of those things will require both sides to work together. If they don't get done, there will be real pain and serious consequences. I'm talking about Medicare and Social Security, which are already on a glide path to insolvency.

I'm excited about advancing our new President's America-First agenda, but I'm also excited to continue to advance the policies and priorities that we've established in our Reverse the Curse balance budget blueprint, which is to restore fiscal responsibility and sanity to Washington, to unleash prosperity through economic freedom, and to make sure that taxpayer dollars, their sacred hard earned dollars, are stewarded as if they were our money and our children's money in their piggy bank. That $2 trillion annual deficit both sides have contributed to will double over the next 10 years now is at nearly 7 percent of GDP.

As [Treasury Secretary-Designate] Scott Bessent said, we haven't seen this level of indebtedness since wartime, in depression, or in pandemics. But we're seeing it now in a time of relative peace and prosperity. We must put this country on a sustainable path so our children inherit the blessings of liberty and prosperity and all the blessings of the American promise that we've enjoyed.

Lastly, I want to introduce our new members. Marlin Stutzman from Indiana who is no stranger to this committee or Congress. Jay Obernolte, who is on Energy and Commerce. He is also chair of the House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI). We believe AI can contribute to productivity and economic gains, but also help us identify waste and fraud. We have to take action when we have identified it.

Mike Carey is here from Ways and Means. Andrew Clyde is an appropriator and a combat veteran from Georgia. Erin Houchin, my friend from the Hoosier State, is serving as a Rules Committee appointee. Addison McDowell, who is no stranger to Capitol Hill and has racked up many years in public service, is now on the elected official side. Welcome to the dark side.

Brandon Gill, my freedom-fighting, God-fearing friend from the great state of Texas is also the President of his freshman class. Tim Moore, the former Speaker of the House in North Carolina.

States have to make budgets, and those budgets have to balance. You might have to take a strong shot of something before you come in and out of this committee to recognize that that dynamic doesn't exist here at the moment, but you're going to change that."

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