New congressman shares plans for ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ with Burnet County constituents
BURNET — If anybody had any doubts what freshman U.S. Rep. Roger Williams’ goals were for his first term, he quickly quashed them during a stop in Burnet on Jan. 10.
“It’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs,” the Weatherford Republican said to people gathered at Tea-Licious in Burnet. “I’m a businessman. I’m a job creator. I didn’t think anybody was fighting for small business.”
PHOTO 1: U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Weatherford, speaks with Burnet County residents Jan. 10 in Burnet. Williams, who represents District 25 in Washington, D.C., said one of his top priorities is creating more jobs and putting Americans back to work. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
Williams won a seat in Congress during the November general election. He represents the newly created District 25, which stretches from parts of Tarrant County in the north to parts of Hays County in the south. All of Burnet County is included in the district.
He has been appointed to the House of Representatives’ Budget Committee as well as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
“I wanted to be on those committees,” he said.
He joins the Budget Committee that is chaired by Republican Rep. Paul Ryan. One of the first agendas on the committee’s list is getting a budget drafted, Rogers said.
“Paul Ryan and I will write a budget to send to President Barack Obama,” the congressman said. “Then we’ll see what the president wants to do from there.”
Williams said one of the biggest problems the country is facing when it comes to the federal budget is overspending and overtaxing. Those are two things the representative said he plans to address.
He made it clear during his Burnet visit that he will not approve raising the debt ceiling.
The debt ceiling is basically the federal government’s authorized borrowing limit. As of Dec. 31, 2012, it was at about $16.4 trillion.
Williams said there is a mistaken belief that if Congress doesn’t raise the debt ceiling, then the federal government can’t pay its debts or financial obligations.
“We’re not going to default if the debt ceiling isn’t raised,” he said. “Don’t buy into this (idea) that we can’t pay our debts without raising the debt ceiling.”
He pointed out the country currently has $2.4 trillion in cash flow available.
“I’m not going to vote for (increasing) the debt ceiling,” Williams said. “Let’s get the books balanced.”
Williams said he is for a balanced budget amendment.
On another issue that’s garnering a lot of attention in Washington, D.C., and the country, Williams said he’ll continue to fight for the Second Amendment and gun rights.
“The Second Amendment may be the most important (right) we have,” he said. “This president is going to try and dismantle that right.”
While it would be unlikely Congress supported a major change to the Second Amendment, Williams said the president could take “a little here and a little there” to weaken gun rights.
“It’s a fight we’re going to have,” the congressman said.
While his new office is located in the nation’s capital, Williams said he would make regular visits to his Texas district.
“We’ll come back to the district every week,” he said. “We’re going to walk the street and see you there.”
Along with his Washington, D.C., office, Williams has district offices in Cleburne and Austin.
daniel@thepicayune.com