Blue Dog Coalition Endorses Fiscally Responsible Democratic Budget

Budget Resolution Includes Key Blue Dog Priorities

For Immediate Release

March 28, 2007

Washington, D.C. – The fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition voted at their Tuesday meeting to endorse the fiscally responsible Democratic Budget Resolution.  Leaders of the Blue Dog Coalition announced their endorsement at a Capitol Hill press conference with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt.

The Blue Dog Co-Chairs applauded Chairman Spratt for including key Blue Dog-advocated priorities in the Democratic Budget Resolution including: an adherence to pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budget discipline; a commitment to the extension of statutory PAYGO requirements; a commitment to provide adequate funding for our national defense; holding the line on mandatory spending levels to put our country back on the path to fiscal responsibility; and putting an end to irresponsible deficit spending in order to reach balance by 2012.

“It is time that we put our country back on track towards fiscal responsibility and accountability to protect not only our children, but future generations of Americans,” said Rep. Mike Ross, Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications.  “This budget reflects the values of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition and I believe it reflects the values of the American people.  We did not need to offer a Blue Dog budget because Chairman Spratt heard our concerns and included our priorities in this budget.  We can no longer sit by and watch President Bush’s attempts to mortgage away our country’s future, and it’s time that we put an end to the reckless budgeting practice we have experienced over the last six years. This budget is fiscally responsible and a step in the right direction.”
 
“The Democratic budget resolution that the Blue Dogs are endorsing today does what no budget has done in the last six years—it enforces strong budgetary guidelines, such as PAYGO rules,” said Congressman Allen Boyd (D-FL), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration.  “With the inclusion of key Blue Dog priorities in the budget resolution, it is clear that the Blue Dogs are enhancing the Democratic agenda.  Correcting the fiscal course of our country cannot be achieved overnight, but the Democratic budget makes strong headway to restore our fiscal house and to ultimately get our budget on a glide path to balance.”

“This Congress has an opportunity to change the fiscal direction of our country,” said Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS).  “There’s no doubt there will be tough choices to make as we live within this budget, but Americans are not afforded the luxury of living beyond their means and our government should stop doing so at the expense of our children and grandchildren.  I thank Leader Hoyer and Chairman Spratt for their dedication to this issue and for working with the Blue Dogs to ensure that our budget proposal starts us on the road back to fiscal responsibility.”

Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), Blue Dog Whip, said, “We simply cannot continue to mortgage our nation’s future and pass on trillions in debt to our grandchildren.  This fiscally responsible budget clearly reflects Blue Dog principles and priorities, and puts us back on a track to fiscal health through long overdue and common sense pay-as-you-go spending rules.”

The fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition was formed in 1995 with the goal of representing the center of the House of Representatives and appealing to the mainstream values of the American public.  The Blue Dogs are dedicated to a core set of beliefs that transcend partisan politics, including a deep commitment to the financial stability and national security of the United States. Currently there are 43 members of the Blue Dog Coalition.  For more information, visit the Blue Dog website at http://www.house.gov/ross/BlueDogs/.