My March Sweet 16 Journey - Listening to You

Congressman David Young’s Capitol Solutions

Weekly Report to Iowa’s Hardworking Taxpayers

EDITORS NOTE: I look forward to providing this report each week as a resource of information for Iowans on the issues being debated and discussed in my goal to be the most accessible member of congress possible.

My March Sweet 16 Journey - Listening to You

Iowans deserve a government which is not only accountable, but also one that listens to them. Since being sworn in to represent Iowans of our Third Congressional District in 2015, I made it my mission to visit each of the 16 counties in our District at least once each month, to be as accountable, accessible and as transparent as possible. But most importantly - I make these visits to listen to the people I am honored to represent.

In the last several weeks, I’ve crisscrossed the District, hosting 16 different “Coffee with My Congressman” town meetings - one in each county. Whether in Truro or Hamburg, West Des Moines, Macedonia, or Mt. Ayr, the folks I’ve met with voiced their ideas, concerns and opinions about many issues of great importance to our state and our country. However, no topics came up more often than taxes, government spending and the debt.

I understand why folks are concerned about our massive $19 trillion national debt and government spending in general. It is one of the main issues I am fighting against on behalf of Iowans with my work in Congress and on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. I wake each day with a drive to protect Iowans’ hard earned dollars - by fighting the size, scope and cost of the federal government.

On the spending front we are seeing some successes. Since 2010, the current majority in Congress has cut more than $600 billion of discretionary spending. Meaning, this year we will spend almost 25% less than at the budget’s high, lowering spending to a level not seen in this country since 2008.

Furthermore, if Congress acted last year upon spending levels - as they should - established through the regular order hearing process by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, we would be spending tens of billions of dollars less than what was enacted in the massive omnibus spending bill in December. The omnibus blew budget caps and missed the opportunity to focus on and reign in wasteful and reckless spending. And, even though it contained some genuinely good policy which I supported during the regular appropriations process throughout 2015, I could not overlook how this massive bill disregarded fiscal restraint and common sense and had to vote against it.

This year, I am again continuing to work in the appropriations process to fight for meaningful policy that effectively curbs government spending and waste to get our country back on track.

You and I both know - if we don’t continue to cut big government spending and rein in our debt we will just be handing the problem off to our children and grandchildren. Iowans don’t pass their problems onto others - they hunker down and solve them. I believe solutions start with a budget that balances, which I support, because we can’t continue to kick the can down the road for future generations.

While these are only some of the issues discussed, my Coffee with My Congressman meetings have been filled with countless productive conversations. Folks have real concerns and they want action, commonsense solutions, and a sense of security from Washington. And that is exactly what I’m working to deliver in Congress. The last thing they want is more wasteful spending, taxation, regulation and policies that create debt, desperation, and doubt.

I work hard to be accessible to Iowans who have questions, concerns, ideas or opinions. Please visit my website (www.davidyoung.house.gov) or call one of my constituent services offices to contact me. A democracy is a two way street, and it is through ongoing conversations with folks back home that I am better able to represent our Third Congressional District.

David Young is the Congressman serving all the people of Iowa’s Third Congressional District. He is a member of the Committee on Appropriations and Subcommittees on Agriculture, Homeland Security, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

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