As a local government leader, Gerry Connolly balanced the budget every year. In his first term in Congress, he has voted against more than $500 billion in wasteful overspending and become a leader in the fight against budget deficits.
As a deficit hawk, Gerry Connolly has worked to reduce the deficit and limit the burden we leave to our children. He cosponsored pay-as-you-go legislation and has repeatedly voted against reckless Washington spending, opposing the release of $350 billion in TARP bank bailout funds and a $154 billion spending bill that would have further increased the deficit. He broke with his own Party to make sure bailout money is used to pay down the deficit. He voted against a $115 billion spending package because it would have increased the deficit, and he opposes President Obama's latest budget because it includes a $1.6 trillion deficit.
Gerry Connolly supports a 3% cap on discretionary spending increases so we can bring wasteful spending under control and twice voted to stop automatic pay raises for members of Congress. Congress should be finding ways to reduce unnecessary spending in these difficult times, rather than trying to give itself a pay raise.
