Concord Action: A Balanced Budget Is An Important Goal; Congress Must Not Limit Options
WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 18, 2026: Concord Action Executive Director Carolyn Bourdeaux issued the following statement on the Balanced Budget Amendment (H.J.Res.139) under consideration in the House of Representatives:
“America is stuck in an endless cycle of deficit spending. Just a few days ago, the national debt crossed $39 trillion and is on pace to cross $40 trillion later this year. Not only has this Congress not put forward a serious plan to close the deficit, in a few short weeks, they are likely to take up even more deficit-financed spending in the form of a wartime supplemental bill.
“While we appreciate the effort to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment, this particular proposal lacked broad, bipartisan support and if it were actually enacted into law, would make getting to a balanced budget excruciatingly difficult.
“This proposal included a requirement for a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate to approve new taxes or tax rate increases – which means that Social Security and Medicare would have to sustain massive cuts to get to balance. A Balanced Budget Amendment should not favor one method of balancing federal revenues and expenditures. Members of Congress must retain the ability to solve the problem of our unsustainable national debt as they and the American people deem fit.”
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