A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh about today’s vote on the Agriculture budget bill.  The amendment about which he speaks passed 283-128.  Ethanol subsidies were involved

Congressman Walsh statement on support of

massive cuts in Agriculture Appropriations Bill

"We've got to cut up the credit card," Joe Walsh told ABC on April 16, 2011.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) today made the following statement following his vote in support of significant cuts in the FY12 Agriculture Appropriations bill.

The legislation funds the various programs within the Department of Agriculture and related agencies, and represents a decrease of $2.67 billion or 13 percent below the FY 2011 funding level and a reduction of $5.03 billion or 22 percent below the President’s request.

“I was sent to Washington to change the game. To drastically reform the way Washington spends hard-earned taxpayer money,” said Congressman Walsh.

“Today, I made good on my campaign promise to do just that by voting in favor of the FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill. This landmark bill takes agriculture appropriations back to nearly the 2006 levels, and rights the wrongs of the previous Congress’s runaway spending.”

“The passage of today’s bill was only the beginning of drastically reducing spending through the appropriations process. The House must continue to everything it can to live up to the mandate the American people gave Congress last fall and continue to tackle Washington’s reckless spending habits.”

“We have no other choice than to step up and be responsible through detailed examination of our spending initiatives. I will continue to scrutinize each appropriations bill that comes my way, and I will only vote for bills that make significant cuts to spending.”

Congressman Walsh introduced H.J.Res.56, a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution on April 4, as a companion bill the Senate’s Balanced Budget Amendment, S.J.Res.10 in order to help remedy Washington’s spending addiction.