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As Vermont's senator and a member of the Budget Committee, I will not support a plan to reduce the deficit that does not call for shared sacrifice.

Someone has to stay on the line and say, no, we can do this by cutting spending and reducing the size of government. That's what I was committed to doing.

I cannot ignore the will of my constituents by supporting a bill that allows President Obama's executive amnesty plan to continue unchecked.

I'm one of those that have said, one of my key principles is I will not support a health care reform bill that is not deficit-neutral, period.

Regardless of my legislation, spending has to be stopped.

There are bills being discussed to raise the amount that Members of Congress pay in to their benefits and I support these pieces of legislation.

I don't want Congress setting monetary policy.

The great thing about fiscal policy is that it has a direct impact and doesn't require you to bind the hands of future policymakers.

The fact is, if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill; to end the bailouts; cut spending; and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won't veto any of these things.

If we can't have the courage to tell our constituents, hey, we've got to cut back, then if we can point to something and say, I would like to vote for more benefits for you, but this balanced budget amendment or statutory spending cap or whatever the device is, is preventing me from doing it.