On Thursday, April 2nd, I joined with the majority of my House colleagues in voting for a responsible federal budget.  Each year Congress crafts a budget that addresses our country’s priorities.  This year that task was harder yet more important than ever. 

We try to accomplish two goals with this budget.  First, we must get the economy moving again.  Our second goal must be to bring the deficit down. 

In February Congress started addressing this first goal by passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to get our economy back on track.  That legislation cut taxes for 95% of American families and made immediate investments in our communities to save or create up to 3.5 million jobs. 

We’ve already seen the positive impact the economic recovery package has had throughout California and the Central and South Coasts.  In just over a month, we put millions of dollars to work improving transportation, housing, and community health centers; expanding the development of renewable energy to make our homes and businesses more efficient; keeping our teachers on the job; and beefing up law enforcement efforts. 

Our budget builds on that effort by making investments to promote long term economic growth.  For example, it tackles healthcare reform because the rising cost of healthcare is a heavy burden on all families and businesses.  Working closely with President Obama we hope to get everyone insured, lower out of pocket expenses and improve quality of care.

Our budget also increases America’s energy independence by increasing investments in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts.  This will help us create millions of new jobs, improve our nation’s energy security and reduce consumers’ energy costs.

Finally, our budget begins reducing the huge deficits inherited by the Obama Administration.  In the short term, the federal government will need to continue deficit spending while the economy is in such trouble, but in the long term we have to restore fiscal discipline in Washington.  This budget ends wasteful spending and pays for all new investments in healthcare, energy and education instead of passing the costs on to our children.

Our budget is more than just our country’s fiscal ‘blueprint’ -- it’s a map that charts a course back to economic prosperity.  It builds on our actions earlier this year to restart our economy, helps families and communities hit hard by this recession, and invests in healthcare, education and energy to ensure America’s economic strength for years to come. 

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.