(Washington, D.C.)  Just like families across Eastern Washington and across the nation are tightening their belts in the face of high energy prices and uncertain economic times, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers believes the federal government needs to do the same thing. 

That is why McMorris Rodgers today introduced the Debt Repayment Instead of Pork Act of 2008 (H.R. 6967).  The bill requires any amount of money spent on earmarks for a fiscal year must not exceed the estimated budget surplus for that fiscal year.

“Our budget deficit has grown too big,” McMorris Rodgers said.  “Every family has to balance their budget, and we expect the federal government to do the same. We need to dramatically change the way Congress spends money in order to make it more transparent and accountable.”

Here are some numbers to consider:

• The FY 2009 federal budget is more than $3 trillion.  That means the government spends about $9,800 per person in America.
• At the start of the 110th Congress, when Democrats took control, the national debt was $8.7 trillion.
• Today, the national debt is $9.7 trillion—an increase of $1 trillion in less than two years.

How much is a trillion?

• If you laid one dollar bills end to end, you could create a chain from the Earth to the moon and back 200 times.
• It would take a military jet flying at the speed of sound, leaving a trail of one dollar bills, 14 years to run out.

McMorris Rodgers is a leading advocate of reforming the government spending process.  She adopted a one year moratorium on earmarks this year and supports a balanced budget amendment.