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Sen. Lee on Budget Amendment Plan

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    Senator Mike Lee, (R-Utah), on proposing a balanced budget amendment.

  • Duration 3:22
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-- the debt ceiling fight is delayed for now -- So what do you.

-- Republican senator Mike Lee joins me from Capitol Hill.

Senator lead thanks for coming nine.

You know I think a lot of Americans are surprised to hear right now.

That we still have this sequestration problem in place with all of the wrangling that we've seen going on the last couple days what's the plan.

You know at this point there is no plan on the table because of the attention is often focused on the debt limit issue.

-- and -- two are related of course because ultimately if not the debt limit itself that is the problem makes this spending that goes on.

That propels us forward -- having to raise the debt limit every six.

Eighteen months because we can't get our spending under control so when we pass this in 2011 when we raise the debt limit then.

What we -- put in place some automatic cuts that would kick in if the super pretty committee couldn't come up with a proposed.

Yeah -- -- -- -- the precipice of that so what do you think it's gonna happen I mean what's the talk.

You know there's a lot of talk in congress about the need to move toward targeted cuts.

-- the same amount -- what were called war.

In the sequestration C sequestration takes a disproportionately large bite out of -- defense infrastructure.

And a lot of people were concerned about that -- that we -- -- spread it out more evenly across all non mandatory spending meeting spending outside of entitlements.

You know one thing that you have put forward and I think it's fantastic as an amendment of the constitution you want to require congress.

To not spend more than it that it may extend it takes -- in taxes I -- if you wanna call taxation making money.

But he can't spend more than it takes and -- are you getting any traction -- not.

Yes -- this is an idea and old idea whose time has finally come and you know it.

Polls show that about 75% of all Americans support this idea most of the state legislatures operate the same way.

And who we need to do this because we need permanent structural spending reform so that we don't find ourselves back in the same position every six to eighteen months and having to raise the debt well.

You want to -- -- spending to 18%.

The gross natural national product.

18% right now we're spending at a rate of about 23%.

And we're looking at some of the other things that you would do.

You would you want -- and historical average of total federal receipts congress can only run a deficit.

Or raise taxes or increase debt if agreed upon by -- two thirds vote.

I mean.

That I like we this sounds but it also sounds like you couldn't possibly get other politicians to greet events.

-- -- where Rome wasn't built and -- Davis is not an easy sell to put on the books right now but we do have a lot of support.

Even within the senate for the idea of a balanced budget amendment.

Let's take the last congress for example last and we have votes on the balance budget amendment we have two proposals we have that actually amendment.

Which got all 47 Republicans then in the senate voting -- we have the Udall a democratic alternative.

Balanced budget amendment proposal which got -- -- Democrats vote for yet those together that 67 votes that's the two thirds margin you need in the senate to propose a balanced but human.

-- there is enough support to get it out it's just we haven't settled on a single proposal and that's what we hope to work toward.

They have good luck we'd love to see it senator Mike -- picks coming out.

Thank you.

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