(Washington, DC) - During President Barack Obama’s weekly radio address focused on fiscal discipline and reform, he singled out Congressman Baron Hill and asked Congress to support Hill’s statutory pay-as-you-go budgeting (PAYGO) legislation.  Hill will introduce the bill early this week.

“First, we need to adhere to the basic principle that new tax or entitlement policies should be paid for,” said President Obama in his radio address. “This principle – known as PAYGO – helped transform large deficits into surpluses in the 1990s. Now, we must restore that sense of fiscal discipline. That’s why I’m calling on Congress to pass PAYGO legislation like a bill that will be introduced by Congressman Baron Hill, so that government acts the same way any responsible family does in setting its budget.”

Hill’s legislation will transform the current House PAYGO rules to a statutory measure.  Thus, any new or increased spending by Congress will have to be offset. 

“Hoosier families have to live within a balanced budget, and so too should Congress,” Hill said.  “That’s what PAYGO means on the federal level.  This Congress – and the last – put into place PAYGO rules.  However, as rules the budgetary enforcement tools lack teeth and do not have the force of law.  The President’s support of this measure is much appreciated and a huge bolster of efforts to make sure we do not leave our children and grandchildren with massive debt.”