America’s rising debt is now over $16.7 trillion and the nation has spent more than $3.5 trillion annually for the past four years. Clearly, something must change. This week, the House of Representatives passed a budget that addresses the real problem – spending – and balances the budget over ten years. That’s a responsible way to approach our unsustainable deficits. Requiring fiscal responsibility of the government helps create a more stable economy in which to do business.

This week, my colleague, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, put forward a roadmap to reform our convoluted tax system for small businesses. The average tax compliance cost per employee for small businesses is almost three times the per employee cost for the average large firm, so I know reform will be welcome news for small firms.

Four years after the 2009 recession, the economy has not yet fully rebounded. There was some good news this week on Wall Street, where the stock market reached all-time highs, and today's unemployment news was positive.  But, when we look to Main Street and the small business sector, the news is not as encouraging. The Federal Reserve notes that the costly and cumbersome health care law is causing small businesses to lay off workers.