November 21, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) today issued the following statement on the announcement of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that the group of lawmakers could not reach an agreement to reduce the deficit.

Congressman Altmire said:

"The American people have every right to be disappointed in the failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to come to an agreement and take even the preliminary step of recommending to the full Congress a consensus plan to reduce the deficit. I share that disappointment. This failure is certain to worry the already jittery world financial markets and further erode the public's confidence in Congress.

"The failure of this Committee is just another example proving that the solutions to America's problems do not lie at the political extremes. It should come as no surprise that a leadership-appointed Committee was unable to meet in the middle and come to an agreement through negotiation and compromise.

"We can no longer ignore the ideological center, where the vast majority of Americans reside and where any hope of compromise can be found. Hopefully, we can now put aside the partisan talking points once and for all and begin to work together and find consensus from the center out, rather than from the fringe."