{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://pittenger.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pittenger-budget-a-step-forward", "Pittenger:  Budget a 'step forward'", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Robert Pittenger", "P000606", "pittenger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\nDecember 12, 2013\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n WORKING TOGETHER: \u00a0CONGRESSMAN PITTENGER JOINS COALITION TO PASS BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT \n\u00a0\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Robert Pittenger voted in favor of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which cuts the federal deficit by $23 billion, reduces corporate welfare, and reforms the federal pension program.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThis budget leaves much to be desired, but two additional government shutdowns would be damaging to job growth, disrupt critical services, and imperil national security,\u201d said Congressman Pittenger (NC-09).\n\u00a0\n\u201cWashington still has a major spending problem. \u00a0We cannot continue to spend $3.5 trillion while only taking in $2.5 trillion. \u00a0Medicare will be insolvent in a decade and America will financially collapse if we don\u2019t reduce spending on entitlements. House Republicans remain firmly committed to restoring a fiscally accountable government, but we need cooperation from Senate Democrats. \u00a0Currently, more than 150 pieces of legislation approved by the House are languishing on Senator Reid\u2019s desk.\n\u00a0\n\u201cIn a deeply divided Washington, we won\u2019t fix these problems with a desperate \u2018all or nothing\u2019 approach. \u00a0Success depends on seizing every good opportunity, large or small, and today, working together, we took a step forward.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 enhances national security by restoring critical funding for our military and domestic law enforcement agencies, replacing arbitrary sequester cuts with smarter, targeted spending reductions.\n\u00a0\nBy passing a budget, Congress regains the \u201cpower of the purse,\u201d with authority to crack down on wasteful spending, eliminate taxpayer-funded loan programs that benefit politically-connected companies, and support the sanctity of life. \u00a0Without a budget, President Obama\u2019s runaway spending priorities would remain intact and running on autopilot.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://pittenger.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pittenger-budget-a-step-forward"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2237790506333113, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}