Florida and Montana Governors Discuss Balanced Budget Amendment

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - At a press conference in Helena on Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was the guest of Montana Governor Greg Gianforte in urging enough states to back a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Gianforte began by describing the main problem with the U.S. government budget.

Florida Governor DeSantis Joins Gianforte for Balanced Budget Amendment

“We're here to champion some of our shared priorities for holding the federal government accountable, ensuring fiscal responsibility and urging the adoption of a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution,” began Gianforte. “Reckless spending in Washington, particularly in the last four years under Joe Biden, has left us more than $36 trillion in debt.”

Governor DeSantis praised Gianforte and all Montanans for their fiscal responsibility.

DeSantis Praised Fellow Republican Montana Governor Greg Gianforte

“You guys have done a great job, and the proof is in the pudding,” began DeSantis. “People have gravitated to Montana. They have fled states that have performed poorly as a matter of policy, and they've gravitated to states like Florida and Montana, and I expect that to continue into the future, but ultimately, the states are not going to be successful if Congress does not get under federal spending under control.”

DeSantis traced the history of the federal budget, and how it became so wildly out of control.

“From the time George Washington put his hand on the Bible as the first president in 1789, all the way until the turn of the 21st century, it (the federal deficit) was $5.6 trillion. “Today, 25 years later, we're at over $36 trillion in debt. Just the interest that we pay to service our existing debt is over a trillion dollars annually. That's more than what we spend on the core function of the federal government, our national defense.”

DeSantis looked back to when Congress came within one vote of passing a balanced budget amendment.

DeSantis Said Congress Came Within One Vote of Passing an Amendment

“Congress came one vote short of certifying a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution for ratification by the states,” he said. “Just imagine if they had actually enacted that back 25 years ago. How much different would things look fiscally for this country? We would be in great shape had they done that they came one vote short.”

DeSantis praised Gianforte and all Montanans for being fiscally responsible in their state budgets.

Click here to see the entire press conference with Governor’s Gianforte and DeSantis.