1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned constituent to demand that Congress fulfill its basic duty: passing a full budget on time. The last time this was done properly—passing all 12 appropriations bills before the fiscal year began—was in 1996. That was nearly three decades ago. Since then, Congress has relied on temporary continuing resolutions (CRs) and massive omnibus bills, creating instability and fiscal mismanagement. Enough is enough. I expect you to: 1. Stop passing CRs – They are a lazy excuse for not doing the job properly. 2. Stop adding unrelated items to spending bills – Legislation should be focused, not packed with unrelated pork-barrel spending and policy riders. 3. End earmarks and wasteful spending – The budget should be based on necessity, not political favors. 4. Get it done on time – No more last-minute scrambling, shutdown threats, or governing by crisis. If the government shuts down, so be it. The American people are tired of excuses. If you can’t do the job correctly and on schedule, then step aside for someone who will. I expect a response outlining what you are doing to ensure a responsible, timely budget process this year.