WASHINGTON – First District Congressman Paul Ryan and other members of the House of Representatives yesterday sent a letter to House leadership expressing their willingness to work to provide all necessary resources to respond to the terrorist attacks, but also requesting that Congress maintain the fiscal discipline called for in the Budget Resolution when it comes to unrelated spending.

"No question –  Congress is right to free up funding to respond to the terrorist attacks," Ryan said. "But we need to make sure that, in doing so, we don't open the floodgates to a surge of new spending wholly unconnected to our nation's response and recovery.  Washington shouldn't use the terrorist strikes to justify a spending free-for-all. When it comes to boosting spending, Congress must prioritize wisely to get the most out of taxpayer dollars. We should focus on protecting America, fighting the terrorism that threatens us, and growing our economy to create more jobs and steer us away from recession."

"We must also work to revive our economy so we can regain the surpluses we need to make Social Security and Medicare solvent for the next generation and keep paying down our public debt," Ryan said.

In their letter, Ryan and the other House members warn: "The reduction in revenues resulting from the slowdown in the economy and the increase in expenditures necessary to respond to the terrorist attacks have increased the likelihood that we could in the very near future return to true deficit spending.  We must not compound this problem by further increasing federal spending for items that are unrelated to the terrorist attacks."

The text of the letter signed by Ryan and other House members follows this release. 

Dear Sirs:

Over the past two weeks Congress has acted in an expeditious manner to provide resources to respond to terrorist attacks of September 11th.  The funds we have provided are absolutely essential to ensuring that there is an adequate and appropriate federal response.  And while we stand ready to provide additional funds should they be necessary to respond to the attacks, we believe that it is critical that in matters unrelated to the terrorist attacks that we maintain the fiscal discipline prescribed in the Budget Resolution.

Specifically, we write to request that for Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations we comply with the $661 Billion limit in the Budget Resolution with an additional $18 billion for defense needs as requested by the President and as permitted under the Budget Resolution.  In addition, we request that we avoid any gimmicks that might attempt to mask the true size of the increase in spending.

The reduction in revenues resulting from the slowdown in the economy and the increase in expenditures necessary to respond to the terrorist attacks have increased the likelihood that we could in the very near future return to true deficit spending.  We must not compound this problem by further increasing federal spending for items that are unrelated to the terrorists attacks.  Indeed, even if we hold appropriations at $679 billion we will have increased spending by 6% in just one year.  Increasing spending beyond that level is both unnecessary and imprudent.

We stand ready to work with you to ensure that we continue to have the resources necessary to respond to the recent terrorist attacks as well complete the Fiscal Year 2002 appropriations process in a fiscally responsible manner.
 

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