House Republicans forced the majority to restore GOP earmark reforms that bring greater transparency and accountability to federal spending. We put forward a plan to balance the federal budget without raising taxes on middle-class families. And just last week we saved American taxpayers more than $1 billion by preventing Democrats from shutting down the practice of private unpaid tax collection, an initiative that collects unpaid taxes the IRS bureaucracy is unable or unwilling to pursue.
House Republicans stood united to provide our troops the resources they need to defeat al Qaeda and radical jihadists, and are determined to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws. We’ve proven successful in strengthening and exposing flaws in Democratic bills and are pushing for commonsense ethics rules that hold lawmakers to a higher standard. Week by week, Republicans are working together more closely than ever before, united in purpose as we rebuild and restore the House Republican brand.
In contrast, Democrats have worked to weaken our national defense and retreat from the global war on terror. They’ve voted to impose the largest tax increase in American history; proposed hundreds of billions in wasteful, unnecessary spending; crafted multibillion-dollar slush funds for secret earmarks; made gas prices worse by proposing new taxes and regulation; and voted against increasing access to affordable health care for millions of uninsured working families. And they’ve done it all by decree, not through the “open” debate they promised.
The fact is Americans believe they were sold a bill of goods, and they deserve better. Both parties have largely lost the trust of the American people. Republicans are committed to doing what is needed to earn that trust back.
Originally appeared in the Washington Times.