“Don’t tell me what you value — show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi are both quite fond of using variations of this adage, and their sentiment could not be more correct. That is why it is so disturbing that House Democrats have chosen not to produce a federal budget since assuming the House majority in January 2019.
But the failure in fiscal probity is actually bipartisan, as Republicans are guilty as well. Last Congress, when I was chairman of the largest conservative caucus in the House, the Republican Study Committee, I drew the line and forced a vote on the House floor for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. The vote, unfortunately, fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. It was just one more instance when Congress missed an opportunity to put our nation’s long-term fiscal future above the next election.
There is a longstanding leadership vacuum when it comes to our nation’s finances. Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought is a man who can fill it. I know, because he has been doing it his entire career.
As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on Vought’s nomination for director, they should know that his confirmation would not only cement a trusted, tried, and accomplished leader into the role, but it would also showcase our commitment to holding the federal government accountable for its spending.
OMB is not the most important department in the federal government. Its leaders typically do not become political superstars. But their decisions have more effect on the lives of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren than the Department of State or, in some cases, even the president.
With our nation digging our debt hole deeper and deeper with each passing year, it is important that we install a nominee with a proven track record of proposing reforms that keep America strong and economically secure.
Our national debt is hurling towards $26 trillion dollars. The Congressional Budget Office now projects that the federal debt held by the public will hit 100 percent of GDP in the coming weeks. Not to mention that the response to COVID-19 has created the most dire economic situation of our lifetimes.
The nation needs leaders to tackle this crisis in spite of any political costs. In Vought, I believe we have one such leader.
With his current experience overseeing the OMB as well as over a decade working in the House and Senate, Vought’s knowledge and expertise in the federal budget contents and process is nearly unmatched.
Vought has long held a strong and positive presence as a conservative voice in Washington. Our mutual involvement in the RSC conveys a common thread of purpose and responsibility. As a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, I know the great lengths taken by those in Vought’s position in order to enact a fiscally responsible agenda that would guide our nation to a firmer foundation for future prosperity. The universally shared ideals of the RSC further validates Vought’s qualifications. His time leading the budget efforts of the caucus, in addition to his prior roles with the House Republican Conference and former Texas Republican Sen. Phil Gramm round out an experienced and steady career serving the public.
The federal budgets and policies he helped craft have been taken up by presidential candidates. He was a leading voice in earmark reform — helping end one of Washington’s worst production processes for wasteful spending. Even as spending has ballooned, he has still found a way to produce fiscal plans throughout his career that get us to a balance.
Despite Vought’s accomplished record, Senate Democrats may yet yearn to disrupt this process as they have in the past. Three years ago, Sen. Bernie Sanders questioned whether Vought was qualified to serve solely on the grounds of his religious beliefs. Rightfully, that prompted backlash. Wrongfully, that backlash came from only one party and fell on the deaf ear of the media. As our Constitution states, religious tests have no place in Senate confirmation hearings. I hope Democrats have learned from their past mistakes and will realize it is just as wrong now as it was in 2017.
I can’t tell you who will win the presidency in November. Nor who will be in the House or Senate majority. What I can say assuredly, is that those in Washington who want to spend less taxpayer money will always be in the minority. That’s why we need leaders like Vought at the helm, looking not at the next election, but the next generation.
Mark Walker represents North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District and is vice chairman of the House Republican Conference.
