JOSH CLAIMS: Sherrod’s spending is out of control, and he voted to increase the debt limit at least five times.

THE TRUTH:  Sherrod has voted for measures to cut spending without hurting the middle class.

1. Sherrod voted against the budget busting Bush tax cuts for millionaires. [H.R. 1836, 5/26/01; H.R. 1, 5/23/03]

2. Sherrod voted against an irresponsible prescription drug program. [H.R. 2, 11/22/03; Washington Post, 2/9/05 ]

3. Sherrod voted against a war we didn’t pay for. [Congressional Research Service, 3/29/11; H.J. Res 114, 10/10/02]

Brown Voted Against The 2001 Tax Cuts Which Cost $1.35 Trillion.  Sen. Brown voted against 2001 tax cuts which cost $1.35 trillion and mostly went to the wealthiest Americans.  [H.R. 1836, 5/26/01; CNN.com, 6/7/01]

Brown Voted Against The 2003 Bush Tax Cuts Which Cost $350 Billion.  Sen. Brown voted against 2003 Bush tax cuts which cost $350 billion and mostly went to the wealthiest Americans.  [H.R. 2, 5/23/03]

Brown Voted Against The 2003 Medicare Prescription Bill Which Was Estimated To Cost $1.2 Trillion.  Sen. Brown voted against the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Bill which was projected to cost $1.2 trillion in the first 10 years.  [H.R. 1, 11/22/03; Washington Post, 2/9/05]

Brown Voted Against The Iraq War Which Will Cost $806 Billion.  Sen. Brown voted against the Iraq War which the Congressional Research Service estimated has cost $806 billion in direct costs from 2003 through March 18, 2011.  [Congressional Research Service, 3/29/11; H.J. Res 114, 10/10/02]

CBO: Medicare prescription drug program added more to deficit than combined costs of the bailout, stimulus and health care reform.  “Calculations by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and other independent fiscal experts show that the $1.1 trillion cost over the next 10 years of the Medicare prescription drug program, which the Republican-controlled Congress adopted in 2003, by itself would add more to the deficit than the combined costs of the bailout, the stimulus and the health care law.” [New York Times, 10/19/10]

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:  Wars And Bush Tax Cuts Wars By Themselves Will Be Almost Half Of The Budget Deficit in 2019.  In May 2011, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities concluded “By themselves, in fact, the Bush tax cuts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will account for almost half of the $20 trillion in debt that, under current policies, the nation will owe by 2019. The stimulus law and financial rescues will account for less than 10 percent of the debt at that time.” [CBPP, 5/10/11]