BLUE DOGS URGE BUSH TO CALL BIPARTISAN BUDGET SUMMIT

Blue Dog Letter to President Bush Asks for Swift Action, Leadership in the Face of Mounting Debt

Thirty-two Blue Dogs – moderate and conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives – signed the letter to President Bush.  The Blue Dogs have long expressed tremendous concern over mounting U.S. debt and are particularly troubled by our growing dependence on foreign governments to finance our debt.  Earlier this year, the Coalition offered a 12 Step Plan that would cure our nation’s addiction to deficit spending that required, among other things, all federal agencies pass clean audits, a balanced budget, and the setting aside of a rainy day fund to be used in the event of a natural disaster.

“Today, our nation’s long term fiscal security is growing even bleaker with the addition of billions of dollars in emergency supplemental funds needed to rebuild the Gulf Region,” writes the Blue Dog Coalition.  “As such, members of the Blue Dog Coalition urge you to immediately call for an emergency bipartisan budget summit to get our nation’s fiscal house in order.”

“This country cannot continue to run trillions of dollars in debt without considering the consequences to future generations,” said Blue Dog Rep. Marion Berry.  “You don’t have to be all broke out in brilliance to know that when you spend more money than you take in you eventually go broke.  I think everyone agrees that we have a financial situation on our hands that deserves the attention of the President and every Member of Congress.  We ask nothing short of an immediate budget summit to get this country back on the right financial track.”

The thirty-two Blue Dogs signing the letter include: Joe Baca (CA), John Barrow (GA), Marion Berry (AR), Sanford Bishop (GA), Dan Boren (OK), Allen Boyd (FL), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Ed Case (HI), Ben Chandler (KY), Jim Cooper (TN), Jim Costa (CA), Bud Cramer (AL), Lincoln Davis (TN), Harold Ford (TN), Jane Harman (CA), Stephanie Herseth (SD), Tim Holden (PA), Steve Israel (NY), Jim Matheson (UT), Mike McIntyre (NC), Mike Michaud (ME), Dennis Moore (KS), Collin Peterson (MN), Earl Pomeroy (ND), Mike Ross (AR), John Salazar (CO), Loretta Sanchez (CA), Adam Schiff (CA), David Scott (GA), John Tanner (TN), Gene Taylor (MS),  Mike Thompson (CA).

The Blue Dogs add that the Coalition, “believes that the United States should not be forced to borrow funds form foreign nations to finance our reconstruction efforts.  We owe it to the American people to act responsibly by sitting down together and devising a serious plan to keep America from going even deeper into debt.”