Taxes and Budget

Federal spending levels

247 public statements from 2026 candidates · 16 related bills

§1The range of views

Why this matters: Federal spending pays for everything from the military to food inspections to student aid, and spending more than the government collects adds to the national debt.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

How much the federal government should spend overall each year on its programs, agencies and benefits.

  1. Increase overall federal spending
  2. Hold overall spending near current levels
  3. Cut overall federal spending
  4. Cut spending enough to balance the budget within 10 years

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Cut overall federal spending (58)

  • Jerry Carl AL-1
    His campaign website says federal spending is out of control, that Washington should live within its means, and that he supported spending cuts and deficit reduction in Congress.1
  • Dale W. Strong AL-5
    His campaign website says raising taxes is not an option and that cutting wasteful spending and downsizing government must be a top priority.2
  • Gary Palmer AL-6
    His campaign website says the government should live within its means and that he wants to pay down the national debt by cutting spending.3
  • Steve G. Parsons AR-1
    His campaign website calls for cutting federal spending and says nearly every federal agency should be cut or eliminated, with a transition plan for each.4,5
  • John McBride CA-9
    His campaign website lists drastically shrinking government spending among his economic priorities.6
  • Charles Hoelter CA-15
    His campaign website says he will fight for lower taxes, reduced government spending and pro-business policies.7
  • Ritesh Tandon CA-17
    His campaign website says he would reduce wasteful spending and support growth-oriented fiscal reforms, and an earlier policy page still on the site says Congress should cut the national debt in half in five years and bring it near zero in 10 years through spending cuts and policies for faster economic and wage growth.8,9
  • David G. Valadao CA-22
    His campaign website says the federal government spends, borrows and taxes too much, that it must balance the budget, and that responsible spending cuts are needed to reduce the national debt.10
  • Chad Humphrey CO-1
    His campaign website lists reducing federal spending among his top priorities and says he will not vote for any bill that grows the deficit and that the budget must be balanced.11
  • Lauren Boebert CO-4
    Her campaign's Contract with Colorado says the federal government has a spending problem rather than a revenue problem and does not need tax increases.12
  • Amy Chai CT-1
    Her campaign website says the national debt is the country's greatest challenge and that the government must spend less, and says she supports cutting improper spending and starting annual budgets from zero.13,14
  • Joe Strada FL-11
    His campaign website calls for slashing government spending by cutting waste, fraud and bureaucracy.15
  • Mike Collins GA Senate
    His campaign website says he would fight in the Senate to make government smaller and to rein in wasteful spending, and his official House biography lists cutting wasteful spending among his top priorities.16,17
  • Matt Day GA-2
    His campaign website says balancing the budget requires cutting the size of the government, and it pledges that he will not seek re-election unless he sponsors a bill in his first term that balances the federal budget and adds multiple sources of revenue.18,19
  • Brian Jack GA-3
    His campaign website says he supports reducing spending and working toward a balanced budget.20
  • Austin Scott GA-8
    His official House website says that reducing spending and working toward a balanced budget has been one of his top priorities, that he has voted consistently for spending cuts, and that the country cannot tax its way out of its fiscal situation.21,22
  • Andrew Clyde GA-9
    His campaign website says Americans are overtaxed and that taxes and the size of the government should drastically decrease, and that federal departments or funding for projects outside the 18 powers listed in the Constitution should be eliminated.23
  • Houston Gaines GA-10
    His campaign website says the country’s debt is out of control, that DOGE should keep rooting out wasteful spending, and that Congress should cut spending and cut taxes.24
  • Matt Loesby ID Senate
    His campaign website says he would fight to cut federal budgets across the board rather than only slowing their growth.25
  • Mike Simpson ID-2
    His campaign website's Budget & Spending page (dated October 2019) says he supports reinstituting pay-as-you-go budget practices, a deficit reduction approach finding at least $4 trillion in savings through discretionary spending cuts, tax reform and mandatory spending reforms, and real budget reductions.26
  • James T. "Jim" Marter IL-14
    His campaign website says he will work to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, end government waste, fraud and abuse, and that government should live within a balanced budget.27
  • William Eric Henry IN-2
    His campaign website lists reducing federal agency budgets and personnel, eliminating wasteful foreign conflict budget spending, and eliminating fraud, waste and abuse among his issues.28
  • Victoria Spartz IN-5
    Her campaign website says the national debt is unsustainable, that federal spending must be cut and the budget balanced, and that the debt should be tackled by reviewing unnecessary spending rather than by raising taxes on citizens.29
  • Jefferson Shreve IN-6
    His campaign website lists cutting government spending among his issues, saying he applies the budget-balancing and waste-cutting discipline he used in business to federal programs.30
  • Erin Houchin IN-9
    Her campaign website lists cutting government spending among her issues, saying the government spends too much and the federal government should balance its budget the way families do.31
  • David C Graham KS Senate
    His campaign website says Washington must stop spending money it does not have, that he would vote against bailouts, pork-barrel spending and agencies whose purpose is unclear, and that the federal government should live on a budget.32
  • John Hauer KS-2
    His campaign website says he would drastically cut spending.33
  • Steven A. Hohe KS-3
    His campaign website says the federal government has to become much stricter about spending and downsize its scope, citing the national debt.34
  • Ron Estes KS-4
    His campaign website says he proposed a 1% across-the-board spending reduction that protected the armed services.35
  • Drew Cranmer KS-4
    His campaign website says he supports the principle behind Rand Paul's Penny Plan, which would cut federal spending by a modest percentage across the board each year until the budget is balanced.36
  • Jeremy Todd KY-4
    His campaign website says he supports cutting spending across the board, eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, and shrinking both the deficit and the debt.37
  • Julia Letlow LA Senate
    Her campaign website says she would reduce government spending that it says fuels inflation and write the DOGE spending cuts into law.38
  • Larry Davis III LA-6
    His campaign website's Policies page lists reducing federal spending, a balanced budget approach, a ban on unvetted omnibus bills and eliminating wasteful federal programs among his goals.39
  • Thomas Stalcup MA-4
    His campaign website says the federal budget must be brought under control by eliminating loopholes and reducing spending to the minimum required to maintain essential services, and that the country cannot sustain current levels of spending.40
  • John Moolenaar MI-2
    His campaign website says he has worked to reduce federal spending, including by supporting the Rescissions Act, which the site says saved taxpayers 9 billion dollars, and that he will keep supporting efforts to reduce deficits and eliminate waste. His home page lists cutting wasteful Washington spending among his commitments.41,42
  • Terri DeBoer MI-3
    Her campaign website says she supports cutting taxes and reducing government spending to fight inflation.43
  • Tim Walberg MI-5
    His campaign website says he has voted for budgets that it says sharply reduce the deficit, helped pass the Rescissions Act to take back more than $9 billion in spending it calls wasteful, and supported funding bills meant to reverse spending levels set under President Biden.44
  • Heather Smiley MI-6
    Her campaign website says she supports eliminating excessive and wasteful spending and departments, paying off the debt and balancing the budget.45,46
  • Tom Barrett MI-7
    His campaign website says bringing inflation under control requires cutting government spending, lowering taxes and a trade policy that puts America First.47
  • Rebecca Whiting MN Senate
    Her campaign website says federal overspending and the printing of money are driving inflation, and it calls for defunding the government.48
  • Michele Tafoya MN Senate
    Her campaign website says Congress should spend less, borrow less and tax less.49
  • Tom Emmer MN-6
    It says he is dedicated to reducing Washington's spending, has acted to decrease the growing debt and will keep looking for ways to cut waste, and that he prefers the regular appropriations process to large omnibus bills.50
  • Pete Stauber MN-8
    His campaign website's Meet Pete page says he is working to reduce spending and to lower the cost of living for Minnesotans.51
  • Tom Schmitz MO-1
    His campaign website says Libertarians want to reduce the size and scope of government dramatically and immediately, and it criticizes a federal budget it estimates at $7.4 trillion for 2026.52
  • Kevin Craig MO-7
    His campaign website says he wants to reduce federal spending by a trillion dollars, that all government spending must be cut, and that he would work to abolish federal programs it describes as unconstitutional.53
  • Guy Meilleur NC-4
    His campaign website says each federal department needs an independent inspector general able to trace where the money goes, so that legislators can cut budgets while keeping essential services, and that the savings would reduce taxes and the deficit.54
  • Maad Abu-Ghazalah NC-7
    His campaign website's Platform page says he would balance the budget by sharply cutting the military budget and by shifting services to state agencies and local organizations, helping them transition and weaning them off federal funding without reducing the services until others can take them over.55
  • David Rouzer NC-7
    His campaign website's issues page says he wants to cut federal spending and shrink government, and says a government that spends less, along with a growing economy, is needed to begin paying down the national debt.56
  • Richard Hudson NC-9
    His campaign website's Meet Richard page says he is working to cut federal spending, and its Cutting Spending page says Washington has a spending problem rather than a revenue problem and that he has pledged not to increase taxes.57,58
  • Steven Feldman NC-10
    His campaign website says federal spending is too high, that cutting it should come first, and that the government should spend less and pay down the national debt.59,60
  • Brad Knott NC-13
    His campaign website says spending should be cut and that each spending bill should be examined closely for places to cut.61
  • Pete Ricketts NE Senate
    His campaign website says he helped pass legislation that will cut nearly $2 trillion in government spending.62
  • Eric Michael Foreman NE-2
    His campaign website lists cutting spending among its platform points, and says he supports responsible budgeting so that debt does not pile up for future generations.63,64
  • William B. Redpath OH Senate special
    His campaign website says the federal debt is driven by too much spending rather than too little taxing, and calls for reducing federal spending.65
  • Raymond T McKay RI Senate
    His campaign website says he wants to stop deficit spending and balance the federal budget, in part by cutting programs and what it calls wasteful and redundant spending by federal agencies.66
  • Kasie Whitener SC Senate
    Her campaign website calls for reducing federal spending by 5% across all agencies and reforming Social Security and Medicare for long-term sustainability, as part of a plan to fix the national debt.67,68
  • Ted Brown TX Senate
    His campaign website says he would make large cuts to federal spending across the board, paired with repealing the income tax.69
  • Harriet Hageman WY Senate
    Her campaign website's issues page, written for her 2022 U.S. House campaign, says she would work to cut both federal spending and taxes and would fight any effort to raise taxes.70

Cut spending enough to balance the budget within 10 years (3)

  • Jay J Bowman KY-6
    His campaign website says its tax plan includes an immediate across-the-board 6.5% spending cut, a freeze on total federal spending at the first-year level and a balanced budget by the fourth year.71,72
  • "Clay" Higgins LA-3
    His campaign website's 2016 Issues page says a balanced budget must be the top priority, and says he supports freezing federal spending at then-current levels with a 1% across-the-board decrease each year for 10 years and greatly diminishing or eliminating most federal agencies, naming the IRS and the EPA among them.73
  • Lily Tang Williams NH-2
    Her campaign website says the federal government must reduce its spending and calls for implementing Senator Paul's Six Penny Plan, under which federal spending would fall by six percent each year until the budget balances in five years.74,75

Statements that don't match one option (186)

  • Bill Hill AK-AL
    His campaign website says he wants to reduce the deficit by bringing federal spending in line with revenue.76
  • Rhett Marques AL-2
    His campaign website says he would work to eliminate wasteful federal spending and lower taxes.77
  • Ammie Akin AL-7
    Her campaign website says she would fight wasteful federal spending and demand responsible, accountable use of taxpayer money.78,79
  • Rick Crawford AR-1
    His campaign website says his top priority is addressing the national debt by enacting permanent spending controls.80
  • Bobby Wilson AR-3
    His campaign website says agencies should not get automatic inflation increases, every expired program should get a recorded vote, and Congress should pass its 12 spending bills on time instead of one large bill.81
  • Robin Littau CA-2
    Her campaign website lists requiring responsible spending and fiscal responsibility among her goals.82
  • Ami Bera CA-3
    His campaign website says he has worked to balance the budget and reduce government waste, and calls government debt the single greatest threat to long-term economic recovery and job creation.83
  • Mike Thompson CA-4
    His campaign website says the debt should be reduced through a balanced approach of cutting spending, having everyone pay their fair share and growing the economy, and that he has fought for pay-as-you-go budget rules.84
  • Tom McClintock CA-5
    His campaign website calls the national debt the greatest danger to the nation and proposes giving mandatory spending programs the same yearly review as other spending and barring appropriations that are not authorized by law.85,86
  • Kevin Kiley CA-6
    His campaign website says he ran for Congress pledging to reduce the national debt and spending, and lists among his accomplishments working to enact the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which it says limits spending while protecting Social Security, Medicare and support for veterans.87
  • Rudy Recile CA-8
    His campaign website says government spending is out of control, that Congress needs to control its spending, and that the federal government should do a better job of tracking how money is spent against the budget.88
  • Jeff Frese CA-10
    His campaign website says he would stop the deficit spending that it says drives up mortgage rates and prices.89
  • Kevin Lincoln CA-13
    His campaign website says that in Congress he would cut wasteful government spending and lower taxes, and that as mayor he balanced budgets without raising taxes.90
  • Ro Khanna CA-17
    His campaign website says his plan would bring the deficit down to 3% of GDP by 2034 through cuts to Pentagon spending, Medicare Advantage overbilling and fossil fuel subsidies, along with new taxes on billionaires and corporations.91
  • Shane Lewis CA-18
    His campaign website says federal spending must be brought under control and supports reducing deficit spending gradually, by 2% a year, alongside a goal of 4% yearly economic growth.92
  • Jay Obernolte CA-23
    His campaign website says he is working to balance the federal budget and stop spending it blames for inflation, and that he wrote legislation to require the federal government to balance its budget and cut wasteful spending.93
  • Bob Smith CA-24
    His campaign website says he would audit and cut wasteful federal spending that it says fuels inflation, and would vote against spending that adds to inflation without a plan to pay for it.94,95
  • Sam Gallucci CA-26
    His campaign website says he would rein in wasteful spending that it says fuels inflation.96
  • Jason Gibbs CA-27
    His campaign website says he would hold government accountable for wasteful spending and bring budget discipline to Washington.97
  • April A. Verlato CA-28
    Her campaign website says she supports legislation to control mandatory spending and would address the national debt through responsible budgeting, targeted spending reviews and work across party lines.98
  • Scott Alan Meyers CA-30
    His campaign website says he opposes federal spending that it says fuels inflation and would push for real oversight of spending.99,100
  • Larry Thompson CA-32
    His campaign website calls for stopping the printing of money and reducing the national debt by at least 10 percent a year until it is paid off.101,102
  • Stephanie M. Vargas CA-33
    Her campaign website says she will vote against what it calls blank-check spending bills and work to restore fiscal discipline.103
  • Pedro Antonio Casas CA-38
    His campaign website says he would fight inflation by ending wasteful government spending.104
  • Young Kim CA-40
    Her campaign website says she will keep fighting to eliminate wasteful government spending and that the 2025 law she supported reined in spending.105,106
  • Brian Burley CA-42
    A platform document on his campaign website says he favors cutting taxes and cutting wasteful and unnecessary spending.107
  • Cristian Morales CA-43
    His campaign website's platform says he opposes wasteful federal spending that drives inflation and would make government live within its means.108
  • Chuong V. Vo CA-45
    His campaign website says he will vote to cut wasteful spending that fuels inflation.109
  • David Pan CA-46
    His campaign website says the national debt is rising mainly because of the growing costs of welfare and entitlement programs, and that his plan to replace them would cut the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion a year over the long term.110
  • Jenny Rae Le Roux CA-47
    Her campaign website says she will work to rein in federal spending, which it blames for inflation in the cost of groceries and gas.111
  • Armen Kurdian CA-49
    His campaign website says he would cut wasteful federal spending and oppose new federal taxes.112
  • Steve Cohen CA-50
    His campaign website says he would demand transparency in government spending and oppose wasteful earmarks.113
  • Bob Chew CO Senate
    His campaign website says that in his first year he would introduce legislation to begin reducing the national debt through spending restraint, entitlement reforms that protect current retirees, tax reforms and new revenue dedicated to paying down debt.114
  • Kelley Anne Dennison CO-2
    Her campaign website says she would fight to reduce federal spending that it says fuels inflation and to stop trillion-dollar spending packages.115
  • Eileen Laubacher CO-4
    Her campaign website says the national debt has to be addressed and that she would make serious cuts to wasteful spending.116
  • Douglas Mangeris CO-4
    His campaign website says Washington has run up debt at taxpayers' expense and that the country should stop passing debt on to future generations.117
  • Jeff Crank CO-5
    His campaign website says government overspending has caused inflation and driven up the cost of everyday goods and housing, and calls for a return to sound economic policies.118
  • Jessica Killin CO-5
    Her campaign website says she would work to balance the budget and pay down the national debt, and to measure every government program for results and eliminate those that do not work.119,120
  • Christopher Mitchell CO-5
    His campaign website says he would introduce legislation to reduce wasteful spending and eliminate government departments and government-subsidized programs it considers wasteful or unprofitable.121
  • Tim Bennett CO-7
    His campaign website calls for ending what it calls reckless federal spending and the Washington debt machine, and says he wants to begin bringing spending under control.122,123
  • Joe Krzeczkowski CO-7
    His campaign website says the national debt is being passed on to future generations and calls for balancing the books.124
  • Gabe Evans CO-8
    His campaign website says he wants to lower the cost of living by reining in deficit spending and the tax and regulatory policies it says are hurting the economy.125
  • George Patrick Austin CT-2
    His home page says Washington should cut waste and stop spending taxpayers' money as if it were endless.126
  • Christopher Lancia CT-3
    His campaign website says he will fight for a balanced budget and an end to reckless spending that it says drives up inflation, and that government must live within its means.127
  • Michael Ted Goldstein CT-4
    His campaign platform says he opposes unchecked spending.128
  • Chris Shea CT-5
    His campaign website says he would cut wasteful spending in Washington.129
  • Michael "Dr. Mike" Katz DE Senate
    His campaign website says he would halt wasteful federal spending and demand that the government live within its means.130
  • Jimmy Patronis FL-1
    His campaign website lists restraining government spending among his priorities in Congress.131
  • Tyler L. Davis FL-1
    Davis's campaign website supports reducing unnecessary federal spending and regularly reviewing federal agencies and programs, keeping those that deliver results and reforming or ending those that no longer do.132
  • Kat Cammack FL-3
    Her campaign website says government spending should be kept minimal and efficient and that she will keep working to cut the debt and deficit, and it lists her USA Act, which it says would require regular reviews of every federal program and begin cutting off money to programs Congress has stopped reauthorizing.133,134
  • Aaron Bean FL-4
    His campaign website says Washington should live within its means the way Florida families do, and that he balanced budgets in Tallahassee for 18 years.135
  • Ryan Elijah FL-7
    His campaign website says it is past time to stop out-of-control government spending, which it says drives up everyday costs and the national debt.136
  • Mike Haridopolos FL-8
    His campaign website says he is fighting what it calls reckless spending to preserve Social Security and Medicare for future generations, and that he balanced Florida's budget in the face of a $4 billion shortfall and would do so again in Congress.137
  • Dan Green FL-9
    His campaign website says gridlock in Congress keeps the nation in debt and that Congress's failure to pass a budget in 30 years has made it impossible to control spending.138
  • Anna Paulina Luna FL-13
    Her campaign website says she has repeatedly voted against what it calls wasteful and corrupt government spending.139
  • Mike Beltran FL-14
    His campaign website says that in Congress he would cut what it describes as wasteful spending that drives up prices.140
  • Brian Lambert FL-14
    His campaign website says Washington has a spending problem rather than a revenue problem, and that Congress should pass a balanced budget, stop spending money it does not have and audit federal agencies.141
  • Laurel Lee FL-15
    Her campaign website says she supported efforts to cut unnecessary government spending.142
  • Kelly Kirschner FL-16
    His campaign website's FAQ says he backs the Scalpel Plan, which was written by former federal agency chief financial officers and aims to save $1 trillion over three years while leaving earned benefits intact.143
  • Greg Steube FL-17
    His campaign website says he will fight to cut waste, that he pushed for a balanced budget and meaningful spending cuts, and it lists the Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act, which would require any debt limit increase to be matched by equal or greater spending cuts.144
  • Matthew Montavon FL-17
    His campaign website says he would implement regular, strict financial audits across federal agencies to eliminate redundant programs and wasteful spending, and approach federal spending with practical fiscal restraint.145
  • Scott Franklin FL-18
    His campaign website says he is fighting to rein in federal spending and cut what it calls wasteful spending, and that he opposes spending that has driven the national debt past $38 trillion.146
  • Jim Schwartzel FL-19
    His campaign website says he will vote to cut waste and balance the budget.147
  • Seth Haskin FL-19
    His campaign website says he will work to restrain federal spending and borrowing and confront the national debt.148
  • Alexander Cooke FL-21
    His campaign website says he would stop spending that he says threatens retirement security.149
  • Deborah Adeimy FL-23
    Her campaign website describes government spending as wasteful and excessive and says only government can create inflation.150
  • Te Mayonna Brown FL-24
    Her campaign website lists making government live within its means and eliminating waste among the priorities of her People First Agenda.151
  • Scott Singer FL-25
    His campaign website says that in Congress he will work to continue cuts to what it calls wasteful spending, including billions it says were spent overseas during the Biden years, so that families keep more of their own money.152
  • Nicole Locklin FL-26
    Her campaign website lists controlling deficits and debt, while protecting healthcare and basic services from cuts, among the steps she would take on affordability.153
  • Maria Elvira Salazar FL-27
    Her campaign website says she is focused on reducing unnecessary federal spending, and lists among her accomplishments backing the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which it says cuts over $2 trillion in spending.154
  • Charles Burkett FL Governor
    The positions website his campaign names says the government must balance its budget and honor its commitments, and that deficits and debt matter.155
  • James "Jim" Kingston GA-1
    His campaign website says he supports efforts to restore fiscal discipline, including regular order in appropriations, a return to balanced budgets and holding government agencies accountable for every taxpayer dollar.156
  • Sanford Bishop GA-2
    His campaign website says he has supported legislation requiring any new spending by Congress to be offset by spending cuts or higher revenues, and caps on discretionary spending, and says the most important way to reduce the deficit and grow the economy is to ensure all Americans have the opportunity to work.157
  • Jim Duffie GA-4
    His campaign website says he will fight for transparency, accountability, fiscal discipline and constitutional limits on federal power.158
  • Kevin E. Martin GA-6
    His campaign website says Congress should pass an actual budget, fund core obligations such as defense and emergency response first, make every other program justify itself before another appropriation, and end earmarks.159
  • Rich McCormick GA-7
    His campaign website says he is fighting inflationary spending, deficits and debt, and that he wants to cut inflationary spending; it lists among his bills the Incentivize Savings Act, which would give federal agencies a reason to save taxpayer money.160
  • Rick W. Allen GA-12
    An earlier issue page still on his campaign website says he was looking for ways to cut government waste and out-of-control spending, and that money reserved for Social Security and Medicare should not be used to fund other government programs.161
  • Ashley Hinson IA Senate
    Her campaign website says she would cut wasteful spending.162,163
  • Thomas Laehn IA Senate
    His campaign website says he would vote against every funding measure that would increase the national debt, except in an extreme national emergency.164
  • Michael Bridgford IA-1
    His campaign website says he will push the House to reinstate and enforce pay-as-you-go rules so that any new spending is fully offset by spending cuts elsewhere.165
  • Zach Nunn IA-3
    His campaign website says government spending has driven up inflation, that he passed legislation to rein in government bureaucracy, and that tax-and-spend policies must be stopped.166
  • Chris McGowan IA-4
    His campaign website's home page lists eliminating wasteful spending among his top priorities.167
  • Todd Achilles ID Senate
    His campaign website says Congress must reduce the national debt by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse and collecting revenue already owed under existing law.168
  • Jim Risch ID Senate
    His campaign website says Congress needs to rein in waste, fraud and abuse as federal spending grows.169
  • Sarah Zabel ID-1
    Her fiscal stewardship plan says the goal is not to balance the budget but to stop the debt from growing faster than the economy, through control of executive spending, reform of laws that cost more than they deliver, and adequate revenue.170
  • Russ Fulcher ID-1
    His campaign website says Congress should not spend money it does not have, that he opposes massive omnibus spending bills, and that Washington must get spending under control to bring down inflation.171
  • Will Johanson ID-2
    His campaign website's issues page says the only way to stop inflation is to balance the national budget and pay down the debt, and that he will vote no on any budget that increases the national debt.172
  • Christian Maxwell IL-1
    Her issues page says she opposes wasteful spending and blank checks for programs that fail to deliver, and wants federal dollars tracked from appropriation to impact through public dashboards and audits; the Results First Act site her campaign links says federal programs should name the result they promise and lose funding if it is not delivered.173,174
  • Michael Scott Noack IL-2
    His campaign website says he will cut wasteful federal spending, demand accountability for every taxpayer dollar and hold government to the standard of not spending more than it earns.175
  • Angel Oakley IL-3
    Her policy page says she will fight to reduce inflationary spending and federal waste, and will push for balanced budget efforts and audits of major federal agencies.176
  • Lupe Castillo IL-4
    Her campaign website says she wants to cut spending and debt and will work to eliminate wasteful government expenditures so that taxpayer dollars go directly to needy Americans.177
  • Chris Getty IL-4
    His campaign website says he will reduce wasteful federal spending, improve accountability, and eliminate programs that do not deliver results.178
  • Mike Quigley IL-5
    His campaign website says the deficit can be brought under control only by subjecting the entire federal budget, including the Department of Defense, to targeted cuts, and that he has written a report with 60 recommendations for saving $2 trillion over ten years.179
  • Tommy Hanson IL-5
    His campaign website says out-of-control federal spending is causing inflation, that Congress can reduce inflation by ending what he calls printing money, and that he would work to bring the federal government back to its limited constitutional powers.180
  • Niki Conforti IL-6
    Her campaign website says she opposes raising the debt ceiling and would push to curb spending and limit the debt the country incurs.181
  • Chad Koppie IL-7
    His campaign website says the government taxes too much, spends too much and wastes too much.182
  • Bill Foster IL-11
    His campaign website says there is no imminent debt crisis in the United States and that lawmakers can protect families' household wealth in a crisis only by providing adequate fiscal stimulus.183
  • Jeff Walter IL-11
    His campaign website says he will fight to eliminate fraud and waste, cut reckless spending and put government back on the side of taxpayers.184
  • Mike Bost IL-12
    His campaign website says federal spending is out of control, with growing deficits that burden future generations, and that Congress must make decisions that balance the federal budget in a reasonable, responsible way.185
  • Darin LaHood IL-16
    His campaign website says Washington has to live within its means, that wasteful spending fueled inflation, and that he supports a bipartisan federal debt commission that would put solutions up for a vote.186
  • Don Tracy IL Senate
    His campaign website says he would cut wasteful government spending and improve efficiency to help lower taxes and inflation.187
  • Barb Regnitz IN-1
    Her campaign website says she wants to strengthen Americans' purchasing power by ending reckless spending and curbing inflation, and to reduce the national debt.188
  • Marlin A. Stutzman IN-3
    His campaign website says Washington's debt and spending are out of control and that eliminating wasteful spending while letting people innovate and build can bring America back to solvency over time, and it says he authored the Conservative Budget in the House.189
  • Tonya L. Hudson IN-9
    Her campaign website says a balanced budget is required, that spending by both parties has created unsustainable debt, and that sensible appropriations by Congress can roll back the debt.190,191
  • Roger Marshall KS Senate
    His campaign website says he has voted against several short-term government funding bills that it says added spending without offsets.192
  • Derek Schmidt KS-2
    His campaign website says he is fighting to curb runaway federal spending and lower inflation.193
  • Sharice L. Davids KS-3
    Her campaign website says the country's debt needs a close eye and that wasteful spending should be cut wherever possible, along with closing tax loopholes for billion-dollar corporations and the top 1 percent.194
  • Eric Jenkins KS-3
    His campaign website says he would oppose deficit spending, push for a balanced budget framework and eliminate wasteful and duplicative federal programs.195
  • James R. Comer KY-1
    His campaign website says he is an advocate for balancing the federal budget.196
  • Ed Gallrein KY-4
    His campaign website says he will work to stop the reckless spending it says has driven up inflation.197
  • Hal Rogers KY-5
    His campaign website's biography says that as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from 2011 through 2016 he reduced the size and scope of government by reining in federal spending and led Congress to cut $126 billion in discretionary spending, and says he remains committed to fiscal responsibility.198
  • Gerardo Serrano KY-5
    His campaign website says Washington spends too much and borrows too much, and that he will fight wasteful spending.199
  • Ralph Alvarado KY-6
    His campaign website says his plan to make everyday life more affordable includes eliminating wasteful government spending that drives up inflation.200
  • Steve Scalise LA-1
    His campaign website says he has always exercised fiscal discipline, pushed for lower taxes and believed in balancing the nation's checkbook.201
  • Lisa Ballay LA-2
    Her campaign website says she supports spending discipline and serious fiscal reform, and that Washington cannot keep borrowing as though the bill never arrives.202
  • John Day LA-3
    His campaign website lists cutting wasteful government spending and making government live within its means among its tax and spending goals.203
  • "Mike" Johnson LA-4
    His official House website's Fiscal Responsibility page says the country faces a debt and spending crisis and that Congress has a duty to bring spending under control and balance the federal budget.204
  • "Mike" Nichols LA-4
    His campaign flyer lists fiscal responsibility and no government waste among the things he supports.205
  • Misti Cordell LA-5
    Her campaign website says she will cut taxes, slash federal waste and eliminate wasteful spending.206,207
  • Michael Echols LA-5
    His campaign website says runaway federal spending drove inflation and that Washington's spending needs to be reined in.208
  • Monique Appeaning LA-6
    Her campaign website says she will work toward a balanced federal budget, reduce the national debt and stop waste before it reaches taxpayers.209
  • "Rick" Edmonds LA-6
    His campaign website lists cutting wasteful spending among the things he will do in Congress.210
  • Michael Mebruer LA-6
    His campaign website says the federal government has spent far beyond its means and that reform must focus on the large mandatory programs that drive spending, not only on cuts to small discretionary programs, including restructuring major entitlement programs and reducing unnecessary federal bureaucracy.211
  • Stephen Wagley LA-6
    His campaign website says he wants to stop the spending spree and end blank checks from Washington.212
  • Jake Auchincloss MA-4
    His campaign website calls for reducing the debt and says lowering deficits requires changes in growth, taxes and spending.213
  • R. Tyler Macallister MA-9
    His campaign website's Solutions page says he will take on the mandates and Washington spending driving up costs and will fight to cut waste.214
  • Robin Ficker MD-6
    His campaign website says he would cut wasteful spending, shrink the federal deficit and bring order back to the budget process.215
  • Moshe Y. Landman MD-6
    His campaign website says the federal government should turn its yearly deficits into surpluses of about $300 billion a year for 20 years, using spending cuts, tax changes and health care savings, to bring the national debt down to 60% of GDP.216,217
  • Paul R. LePage ME-2
    His campaign website says he will work to eliminate wasteful spending, which it says drove up inflation.218
  • Jack Bergman MI-1
    His campaign website's home page lists limiting wasteful federal spending among the things he works on.219
  • Arnett Satterla MI-1
    His campaign website says Washington spends too much and that politicians spend money the country does not have.220
  • Zebulon Featherly MI-1
    His campaign website says he would cut waste and demand accountability across government.221
  • Bill Huizenga MI-4
    His campaign website says he led the fight to rein in federal spending and has pushed for fiscal discipline to fight inflation.222,223
  • Ronald A Muszynski MI-5
    His campaign website lists balancing the budget among its main issues and criticizes the size of the national debt and its yearly interest cost.224
  • Jim Bronke MI-5
    His campaign website says government must get its spending under control.225
  • Thomas J. Smith MI-8
    His campaign website says he will fight to cut wasteful spending and wasteful programs and to balance the budget.226,227
  • Mike Saliba MI-10
    His campaign website says there should be no increase in the national debt and that the country should pay its bills as it goes along.228
  • T.P. Nykoriak MI-13
    His campaign website lists advocating responsible federal spending, reducing the national debt and eliminating unnecessary government programs among his commitments.229
  • Chris Dardzinski MI-13
    His campaign website proposes freezing federal spending at current levels for five budget years and then returning to zero-based budgeting, and says agencies outside the Constitution’s enumerated powers should be phased out over three years, with budget and staff cut 33% each year.230
  • Tyler Bass MN-3
    In his answers to a WCCO candidate questionnaire posted on his campaign website, he says that on federal spending he would start with waste and fraud in programs the government funds, before asking families to pay more.231
  • John Nagel MN-5
    His campaign website says spending in Washington is driving up prices and that government is too large, wasteful and intrusive.232
  • Michelle Fischbach MN-7
    The issues page says she carried a zero-based budgeting bill in the Minnesota Senate, brought that approach to Washington, and that Washington has a spending problem.233
  • Ann Wagner MO-2
    Her campaign website says she will draw on her business background to rein in federal spending and see that tax money is spent efficiently.234
  • Mark Alford MO-4
    His campaign website says Congress must end government waste, eliminate fraud and rein in spending to reduce the deficit.235
  • Jordan Herrera MO-4
    His campaign website lists reducing wasteful federal spending, closing corporate tax loopholes and no longer funding wars without covering their cost as ways to address the national debt.236
  • Rick Brattin MO-5
    His campaign website says that in Congress he will fight against reckless spending that drives up the national debt, and its home page lists cutting wasteful spending among his goals.237,238
  • Andy Maidment MO-6
    His campaign website says a significant part of the national debt comes from foolishly spent money, citing COVID relief fraud and military spending on unproven technology, and criticizes spending bills thousands of pages long that are pushed through Congress in days.239
  • Eric W. Burlison MO-7
    His campaign website lists cutting wasteful government spending among his priorities, and lists helping lead the effort to cut $2 trillion from Washington's wasteful spending, waste and fraud among his accomplishments.240
  • Jason T. Smith MO-8
    His campaign website’s Meet Jason page, which refers to the 117th Congress, says his colleagues chose him as Ranking Member of the Budget Committee because of his stated commitment to reducing spending and cutting taxes for working-class Americans, and that in that role he would push back against higher taxes and wasteful spending.241
  • Michael A. Chiaradio MS-3
    His campaign website says raising taxes or cutting spending alone does not solve the country’s problems, and calls for federal spending that invests in people, factories, farms and infrastructure while working to stabilize the national debt.242
  • Carl Boyanton MS-4
    His campaign website says Congress must control spending and live within its means, and it lists zero-based budgeting, full-year spending bills passed on time and an end to business-as-usual deficit spending among his reforms.243
  • Seth Bodnar MT Senate
    His campaign website says every spending decision should meet a real cost-benefit standard and that he will oppose reckless deficit spending from either party.244
  • Brian J Miller MT-2
    His campaign website says annual deficit spending should be kept to no more than 3 percent, to be reached by raising revenue from wealthy people and corporations and cutting areas of the national budget such as defense industry spending.245
  • Shannon W. Bray NC Senate
    His campaign website supports capping federal spending to slow the growth of the debt.246
  • Michael Whatley NC Senate
    His campaign website calls for reining in federal spending and practicing fiscal responsibility.247
  • Mahesh (Max) Ganorkar NC-4
    His campaign website calls for a smaller, limited government. It proposes replacing baseline budgeting with need-based budgeting that justifies each dollar, with each agency submitting its budget to Congress six or more months before the fiscal year ends, to reduce reliance on continuing resolutions.248
  • Virginia Foxx NC-5
    Her campaign website says she is working to bring the federal budget closer to balance, and that wasteful federal spending should be cut so that limited funds go to priorities such as national defense, Social Security and Medicare.249
  • Mark Harris NC-8
    His campaign website's Issues page says that since his election he has worked to cut what it calls excessive government spending, that he is determined to pass legislation easing the burden of higher costs on taxpayers, and that he is working to ensure people in the district have more take-home pay.250
  • Pat Harrigan NC-10
    His campaign website says he is fighting in Washington to cut wasteful spending, along with curbing inflation, lowering taxes and lowering energy prices, and says a strong economy depends on trimming government spending and overreach.251,252
  • Paul Barringer NC-13
    His priorities page says he supports fiscal discipline and living within the country's means, with restraint in spending and steps toward a balanced budget.253
  • Lakesha Womack NC-14
    Her issues page says federal spending should come with strong oversight and accountability, with priority for investments that deliver measurable results, and that she opposes wasteful spending and politically motivated budget cuts.254
  • Tim Moore NC-14
    His campaign website says that on the House Financial Services and Budget committees he stands up for fiscal responsibility, along with smarter regulation and support for working families and local economies.255
  • Julie Fedorchak ND-AL
    Her campaign website lists limiting federal spending, balancing the budget and reducing the federal debt among her priorities.256,257
  • Dan Osborn NE Senate
    His campaign website says he will not vote for spending the country cannot afford and wants to see how every bill is paid for.258
  • Mike Flood NE-1
    His campaign website lists his vote for a rescission package and his No More D.C. Waste Act among his efforts to reduce federal spending, and says he will keep working to bring spending down.259
  • Nik Sandman NE-1
    His campaign website lists cutting waste and eliminating corporate welfare among his spending priorities, saying government should live within its means.260
  • Denise Powell NE-2
    Her campaign website says she wants to manage deficits and debt responsibly so that the next generation inherits a more stable future.261
  • Macey Budke NE-3
    Her campaign website says she supports disciplined budgeting, stronger program audits and more transparency about how federal funds are used, and that she does not equate fiscal responsibility with cutting services without careful thought.262
  • Mark Cohen NE-3
    His campaign website says both parties are responsible for the national debt, that waste, fraud and abuse do not come close to explaining the deficit, and that balancing the budget through spending cuts alone would require severe cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. It lists opposing tax cuts that add to the deficit unless offset by spending reductions or other revenue.263
  • Robbie Mahrou NH-2
    His campaign website says he would back measures such as the Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act so that any debt ceiling increase is matched with spending discipline.264
  • Damon Galdo NJ-1
    His campaign website lists reducing unnecessary federal spending among his priorities and says he would support stronger oversight of federal spending and balanced, responsible budgeting.265,266
  • Michael P. McGuire NJ-3
    His campaign website says his top priority is restoring affordability for working families, beginning with cutting government spending that it describes as wasteful and ineffective.267
  • Sean Kirrane NJ-5
    His campaign website says he would limit administrative waste in federal programs to 10 percent, require yearly audits and tie funding to measurable results.268
  • Rosie Pino NJ-9
    Her campaign issues page says she would oppose large spending packages and expansions of government bureaucracy, which it says push up inflation and living costs.269
  • Carmen Bucco NJ-10
    His campaign's message page lists fiscal responsibility among his priorities, saying he will work to stop irresponsible spending so people keep more of what they earn.270
  • Joe Hathaway NJ-11
    His campaign platform says he opposes spending he says drives up inflation, supports pay-as-you-go rules so new spending is paid for upfront, and supports audits and oversight of how federal money is spent.271
  • Alan B. Bond NJ-11
    His campaign story on government accountability says each federal program should have a defined purpose and measurable targets, that successful programs should be strengthened and unsuccessful ones fixed, merged or ended, and that addressing the long-term national debt will take priorities, economic growth and spending discipline.272
  • Gregg Mele NJ-12
    His campaign website says he supports responsible budgets and wants Congress to publish the costs, funding sources and expected results of programs, require cost estimates and a funding plan before votes, and audit programs for waste before expanding them.273,274
  • Afzal "Bobby" Khan NV-1
    His campaign website says the federal government has a spending problem rather than a revenue problem, and says government priorities should shift toward cutting waste.275,276
  • David Flippo NV-2
    His campaign website says he would cut wasteful federal spending to fight inflation.277,278
  • David Brock Smith OR Senate
    His campaign website calls for no new taxes, eliminating fraud and reducing unnecessary government spending.279,280
  • Brian L Bengs SD Senate
    His campaign website says balancing the federal budget and paying down the national debt are imperatives, and it attributes about half of the debt to tax cuts passed since 2000.281
  • David Sutman, Jr. TN Senate
    His campaign website says Washington spends without accountability and calls for cutting wasteful spending and increasing transparency in spending.282
  • Ken Paxton TX Senate
    His campaign website says he would work to cut taxes and stop what it calls wasteful federal spending, pointing to a national debt of more than $36 trillion.283
  • Bert Mizusawa VA Senate
    His campaign website says that in the Senate he would focus on balancing the federal budget, pointing to growth in the national debt.284
  • S. Marshall Wilson WV Senate
    His campaign website says he would vote against every budget that does not balance, oppose spending bills that go beyond the Constitution's limits, and never vote to raise the debt ceiling without real spending cuts.285

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.