Restoring Fiscal Sanity

This week, the Senate was forced to pass one, giant, trillion-dollar bill, on the eve of funding expiring. This $1.07 trillion funding bill is the result of a broken process. It is a disservice to our constituents for Congress to pass a spending bill that could not be amended or sufficiently scrutinized. I voted against it because the bill fails to rein in excessive government spending and neglects to tackle out-of-control regulatory agencies.

The responsible way to fund the government is incrementally, by categories, after scrutiny and the opportunity to amend. I hope that going forward my colleagues and I can instead use a responsible and transparent process for funding the government.

Read my statement on the omnibus spending bill.

On Monday, I was honored to speak at the National Interdiction Conference hosted by the Pennsylvania State Police. In attendance were police officers from across Pennsylvania and the United States.

Everyday our law enforcement officers and first responders place their lives at risk to protect our cities and neighborhoods. They deserve our respect, admiration, and support.

For more, watch this clip from Fox 29 in Philadelphia.

I had the privilege to address the Gun Violence Prevention Summit in Washington D.C., hosted by Americans for Responsible Solutions and the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence.  

I believe that Congress can and should take common sense steps to protect the American people from gun violence. That is why I have previously joined with Senator Joe Manchin in introducing legislation that would make it tougher for criminals and the dangerously mentally ill to obtain a gun.

I remain committed to the cause of improving gun safety while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. I look forward to again working with my fellow Senators from both sides of the aisle on this important issue.

I wrote an op-ed this week regarding the President's recent tax proposal, and why I believe it will generate growth and income gains that would benefit all Americans. I also outlined why the fixation on deficit predictions and arcane budget rules should not prevent Congress from enacting genuine reforms to realize a robust economic revival.

Americans are rightly fed up with the feeble growth of recent years. Dramatic, pro-growth tax reform will enable us to return to the robust growth that is normal for America, and that creates opportunities, raises our living standards and ensures that children have a realistic shot at a better life than their parents.

Congress must seize this rare opportunity. We were elected to get this done.

For more, read the entire op-ed on Bloomberg View.