Whereas, on June 5, 2018, the current total public debt outstanding was more than $21 trillion, resulting in a total interest expense of more than $283 billion for fiscal year 2018; Whereas, on May 31, 2018, the total public debt as a percentage of gross domestic product was 106 percent; Whereas the last balanced Federal budget was signed into law in 1997; Whereas, in fiscal year 2017, Federal tax receipts totaled $3,315 billion, but Federal outlays totaled $3,981 billion, leaving the Federal Government with a one-year deficit of $666 billion; Whereas every year since the last balanced budget was signed in 1997, Congress has failed to reduce Federal spending and has continued to rely on raising the debt ceiling; Whereas Congress failed to pass a balanced budget in the 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act and failed to restore regular order to the legislative process by not allowing Members of Congress to offer and debate amendments; Whereas regular order permits Congress to separately debate and adopt all appropriations bills in a timely fashion and facilitates congressional oversight of Federal spending; Whereas the Social Security and Medicare boards of trustees project that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be depleted in 2026; Whereas the Social Security and Medicare boards of trustees project that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be depleted in 2034; Whereas, on August 5, 2011, the United States credit rating was reduced by Standard and Poor’s from AAA to AA+ and has remained at that level, and without a targeted effort to balance our budget our credit rating will surely continue to fall; Whereas President Donald Trump’s National Security Strategy highlights the need to reduce the debt through fiscal responsibility; Whereas, on April 12, 2018, Secretary of Defense James Mattis warned, any nation that can’t keep its fiscal house in order eventually cannot maintain its military power