By Meghan Schiller, Contributing Writer

Heritage Action, a grassroots organization organized by the conservative Heritage Foundation, has launched a campaign to pressure members of Congress to support a balanced budget amendment, HJ.Res.1.

The campaign plans to targets four PA Representatives that include: Jason Altmire, Mark Critz, Mike Doyle and Tim Holden. They’ve have been chosen because they’ve previously voiced a desire to fight for fiscal responsibility.

The goal of Heritage Action’s BBA for the Constitution of the United States is to pressure specific members in Congress to send the balanced budget amendment right to the states.
Heritage Action hopes that representatives that argue for fiscal responsibility will finally vote in favor of a balanced budget amendment and stop dragging their feet.

Heritage Action believes that the time for Congress to tighten it’s belt is now. This BBA will encourage Congress to promise to spend within it’s means. However, those against the amendment argue that it’s goal is not realistic, seeing as it does not help either side compromise but rather tries to detour the main problem.

However, Heritage Action’s CEO Michael A. Needham believes that this is exactly what our government has needed for quite some time.

“This balanced budget amendment has momentum in Congress as a solution to our spending crisis,” Needham says.

“Since President Obama is unwilling to come to the table and have an honest conversation, Heritage Action is launching a campaign to bypass the White House and send a Balanced Budget Amendment directly to the states.”

The campaign plans to target 61 districts across the country, hopefully increasing its chances of passing in the House.

“This effort is not about today, it is about the future,” Needham says.  “Our children and grandchildren are being held hostage by a White House that is addicted to higher taxes and over-spending.

The House will vote on this amendment the week of July 18th.
Holden, who met with activists yesterday, said he will vote against the measure and doesn’t expect it to pass.

“I spoke with Bob Goodlatte (Wednesday),” Holden said. “He is a good friend of mine. We have served on the (House Agriculture) committee together for 19 years. … He told me he doesn’t believe he has the votes to pass H.J. 1, but he asked me if I would vote for H.J. 2, and I said yes.”