Since last November the American people have been waiting for the GOP majorities in the House and Senate to offer a positive, unifying vision for the country that addresses working families’ anxieties about our economy and frustrations with our government. Much of the work done by congressional Republicans during the first two months of the new Congress has failed to make an impact – though not for lack of effort.

The first measure of the 114th Congress was the Keystone XL Pipeline bill, which would have paved the way for economic and energy development. But President Obama vetoed it. Likewise, the most recent piece of legislation considered by the Senate – a commonsense and formerly bipartisan bill to confront the scourge of human trafficking – was unconscionably filibustered by Senate Democrats.

In light of the Left’s lockstep intransigence and radical obstruction that have defined the past two months – and that show no sign of abating over the next two years – Republicans should view the upcoming budget process as their best opportunity to finally show the American people why the GOP deserved victory last November.

Starting next week the House and Senate will begin the work of passing a common Budget Resolution, a document that Republicans should use to present the country a positive, unified, and conservative blueprint for reforming our government and growing our economy.

Inevitably there will be some disagreement over the particulars, as the Budget Resolution is a comprehensive document that involves difficult choices related to every facet and function of our federal government. However, every Republican should be able to agree to three consensus principles, each of which enjoys widespread support from the American people.
Our budget should: (1) Balance within ten years (without accounting gimmicks); (2) Not raise taxes, and; (3) Include reconciliation instructions to repeal Obamacare.

More than just good policy, following these three principles will promote the coalitional unity necessary to successfully navigate the tough decisions entailed in the budget process. With these as our guide, I look forward to working with my colleagues to craft a budget resolution in the weeks ahead.