Washington - On January 5, 2011, a new Congress will convene in Washington, D.C.  The expectations of this next Congress will be to put aside politics-as-usual, listen to our constituents and work together.  Throughout my time representing you, these have always been my guiding principles and will continue to be my focus in this new Congress.

On November 16, my colleagues in the Blue Dog Coalition elected me to serve as their Co-Chair in the new Congress.  The Blue Dog Coalition, formed in 1995, is a group of fiscally conservative Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives that advocates the principles of fiscal responsibility and government accountability.  And, at a time when both the Democrats and Republicans are being pulled far from the mainstream, I am proud to help lead the Blue Dog Coalition as it continues to be a moderating force in Washington.

You, the voters, resoundingly demanded a more moderate Congress on November 2nd and Congress must acknowledge that call.  We must begin to work together to pass bipartisan, commonsense legislation that creates jobs, restores fiscal responsibility to our government and gets our economy back on track.

Our skyrocketing national debt is not only threatening the economic recovery of this country, it’s also a threat to our national security and it must be addressed.  I have been sounding the alarms on the national debt since I first came to congress and I will continue to demand fiscally responsible legislation from our leaders.

My ultimate duty will be to continue doing what is best for Arkansas.  I have said all along that I don’t care if it’s a Democratic or Republican idea, I want to know if it’s a common sense idea and does it help the people of Arkansas.  That’s what I’ll continue to do in this new leadership role and as the Congressman for the people of Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District.  


A fifth generation Arkansan, Congressman Mike Ross of Prescott represents the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Ross serves on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, including its Health and Energy Subcommittees, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee and serves as Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.  Ross is also key leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative Democratic House members that advocates the principles of fiscal responsibility and government accountability.