The Congressional Budget Office will soon present testimony before the U.S. House Committee on the Budget. This hearing should be far more than a routine update on federal finances. It should be heard as a clear warning about the long-term fiscal direction of the United States.

Too often in Washington, hearings become perfunctory exercises in which troubling numbers are acknowledged politely and then quietly set aside. This upcoming testimony offers an opportunity for something different if members of Congress are willing to listen carefully and speak honestly about what the numbers show.