Washington, D.C. - Today the conservative Blue Dog Coalition recognized Indiana Representative Joe Donnelly for his commitment to America’s small businesses by naming him “Blue Dog of the Week.” Recently Rep. Donnelly worked across party lines to build consensus on H.R. 976, the “Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007,” a bipartisan piece of legislation that includes $1.3 billion in tax cuts for small businesses.
“Rep. Donnelly’s willingness to work across the aisle to affect positive change for America’s small business owners is a shining example of what Blue Dogs are able to accomplish in a Congress previously marked by partisan bickering,” said Rep. Mike Ross, Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications. “Rep. Donnelly has already demonstrated his commitment to fiscal responsibility and, together with his colleagues in the Blue Dog Coalition, will continue to take the necessary steps to reduce the nearly $9 trillion national debt crippling our economy.”
“I have spoken with small business owners and farmers alike who have said that they would be able to invest in new equipment and resources and hire new workers if this bill were to be passed into law,” Donnelly said. “This legislation proves that Congress can provide tax relief that encourages economic development and do so in a fiscally responsibly way.”
Due to the efforts of Rep. Donnelly and his Blue Dog colleagues, the House rules package for the 110th Congress was passed in the first 24 hours of the new session and includes key principles of the Coalition’s 12-point plan to end the nation’s addiction to deficit spending. Specifically, the package requires pay-as-you-go budget discipline, known as “PAYGO,” with no new deficit spending. This rule was in place when the nation had its first balanced budgets in nearly 30 years from 1998 to 2001. The rules package also requires full transparency by ending the abuse of special interest earmarks.
The conservative 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 44 members of the Blue Dog Coalition.
Rep. Donnelly is currently featured on the Blue Dog Coalition website, located at http://www.house.gov/ross/BlueDogs/
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