Thank you for contacting me in regard to the debt ceiling and its effects on our economy. As Florida's junior Senator, it is my priority to help stabilize our economy, increase the availability of jobs and attract investment to promote the growth of business. In order to reach these goals, our debt must be reduced significantly and we must avoid short-term fixes that threaten the long-term fiscal health of our nation. 

The "debt ceiling" is the total amount of money owed by the United States by both the general public and the federal government to either foreign or domestic lenders. If the debt ceiling is surpassed, our nation will not go into default as some suggest. The debt ceiling can be raised, lowered or remain the same when Congress allows it to come to a vote. What we must do is prioritize our debt payments in the event that the ceiling is not raised, proposed by Senator Toomey's bill The Full Faith and Credit Act. 

The looming debt crisis threatens the financial security of our nation and jeopardizes our chances of rebounding from the financial events of 2008. We are approaching a decisive vote in which Washington will either raise our debt ceiling, effectively indebting our nation further, or be forced to work within our allotted budget. I will not vote to raise the debt limit, unless it is the last time we ever vote to raise it and it is accompanied by a plan for fundamental tax reform, an overhaul of our regulatory structure, a cut to discretionary spending, a balanced-budget amendment, and reforms to save Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. 

A growing deficit and a staggering debt are crippling our economy. There are significant changes we can make to ensure that our debt is diminished, including tax reform. Tax reform would simplify our tax code, making it easier for individuals and businesses to comply. This would encourage investment, both foreign and domestic, in America and its future. 

For example, Chairman Dave Camp has proposed to lower and simplify tax rates, close loopholes, and make permanent low rates on capital gains and dividends. Senator Rand Paul, meanwhile, has a bill that would require an up-or-down vote on "major" regulations, those that cost the economy $100 million or more. I support these goals. 

Some of the most significant strains on our budget are entitlement programs, which must be reformed in order to be sustainable for future generations and reducing our debt. I am committed to fulfilling the promise of retirement security. However, we must gradually reform the system to ensure the solvency of Social Security for future generations. Medicare, if not reformed, will go bankrupt in within the next ten years. Any changes I would support would not affect those in or near retirement, who would stay in the current system and receive the benefits they have earned. 

Our fiscal problems today are due to decades of profligate spending by both parties. We have a job-crushing debt because Washington has repeatedly postponed the tough decisions for someone else to deal with down the road.  The American people have every reason to be disappointed by Washington politicians who either don't understand the seriousness of our fiscal crisis, or who are simply not willing to confront this challenge. Simply raising the debt ceiling without implementing serious reforms will only drive us further into debt. I thank you again for your input and will keep your thoughts in mind as I work to ensure economic security for our state and nation.

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Thank goodness he did not add the self promoting line that Senator Nelson adds about his wonderful mailing list which i am already on but apparently his staff picks out the most convenient robo letter to my question, most of the time, my questions are not answered by him, unlike the sensitive replies by Congressman Crenshaw and Senator Rubio. Just thought i would share, you can write your Congressional representative at: http://www.congress.org  as well as your state representatives and Governor. You can also write many GOP Congressional members or committee members at the congress.org or at http://www.gop.gov as well as the Speaker of the House.

I write the Speaker of the House regularly as well as the Ethics, Energy, Arms, committees.