Debt reduction vs. government assistance

Guest Column by Rep. Tom Marino

I have spent the last few weeks observing the heart-breaking devastation that two violent storms have wrought on the 10th Congressional District, other areas of Pennsylvania, and across America. People are hurting and there is no question that the federal government must help them get started on the road to recovery.

I have also spent the last eight months in Washington, D.C., as one of the more vocal advocates of deep federal spending cuts.

Some say these two paths shall never cross.

I strongly disagree.

This matter is not an ideological conflict.

Protecting the lives and property of Americans is not a conservative or liberal issue. It is not a Republican vs. Democrat debate.

It is a vital role of the government - and it is a message that often gets muddled when we start talking about federal resources and spending cuts.

We should not even be having this discussion. However, we are unfortunately facing a national debt of nearly $15 trillion and the federal government continues to spend more money than it takes in.

If we take the path lined with federal spending cuts, elimination of unnecessary programs and follow a disciplined regimen of debt elimination and deficit reduction, we can and will avoid these dire circumstances in the future.

Restoring our nation's fiscal stability will only ensure that the government has the resources to carry out its real responsibilities: national security; protecting our borders, our citizens and their property; and maintaining our infrastructure. And, that means federal assistance when a natural disaster strikes.

This is one of the roles of government.

It is one of the reasons that I am committed to making sure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other governmental organizations have the resources to allow individuals, businesses and local governments to bounce back from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

Yet, I will not waiver in my efforts to cut federal spending, balance the budget, downsize Washington, and keep taxes low.

Some of my colleagues believe that any increase in federal assistance to storm victims must be matched with additional cuts in government spending.

I agree wholeheartedly - nevertheless, our first responsibility is getting our citizens back in their homes or in safe, clean, temporary housing if that is what it takes.

We must help farmers clean up their land and do what we can so that small business owners can reopen their doors, and call their employees back to work.

Then, and only then, do we go back to the drawing table and find the cuts needed to offset the increase in disaster assistance funding.

With all of the waste and duplicative programs our federal government is funding, it should not be that difficult.

As vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications, I can tell you of one glaring example. There are 17 separate federal entities that administer grants for emergency preparedness with budgets totaling $34 billion. I am convinced that by consolidating some of those responsibilities we will save hundreds of millions of tax dollars.

That is only one example of the thousands of areas where we can save resources - in manpower, office space, related office expenses, and time.

Just think. If we were not facing a $14.6 trillion national debt and a record-high national deficit, we would not even be having this debate.

It will take years to straighten out the economic mess that decades of presidents and Legislatures have brought on through reckless spending and irresponsible fiscal practices.

There are many instances where taxpayer dollars are wasted - on programs that do not fall into the realm of governmental responsibility.

This is at the heart of what we are trying to do in Washington.

The question of the U.S. government's role and financial responsibility at home and abroad will likely drive the debate in Washington in the coming months and years.

I welcome it because I believe the outcome will determine how prepared and equipped we are to handle any tragedy that affects our people, property and our nation in the years to come.

At this moment, we have a much more pressing issue.

We must do whatever it takes to help our families, friends, and neighbors recover from this disaster.

If the federal government can bail out the banks, the auto industry, and spend almost a trillion dollars on a stimulus program with taxpayer money, then the government should be able to return to the taxpayers some of their hard-earned dollars to help with a hand up during these difficult times.

Congressman Tom Marino is the U.S. Rep. from Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District.