| July 30, 2010 - Caucus Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Balanced Budget Amendment |
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Caucus Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Balanced Budget Amendment
(WASHINGTON) – Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA,) co-chairs of the congressional Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus, hosted a roundtable discussion on Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. The robust two hour dialogue included more than a dozen participants including Members of Congress, staff, and leading organizations concerned with fiscal responsibility. “This is exactly the type of discussion that Congress needs to have,” Coffman said. “This week’s roundtable delivered the productive dialogue Congress has been missing on the importance of a balanced budget. The Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus aims to achieve passage of H. J. Res. 1, the Balanced Budget Amendment. In order to get our fiscal house in order, I believe it’s time to require the federal government to do what American families, small businesses, and forty nine states already do, balance the budget. I look forward to continuing a healthy dialogue about fiscal discipline in Washington, and the continued growth of the Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus. I also want to thank those in attendance for making this event a success.” During the discussion Marshall stated, “The momentum to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment will never reach critical mass without the help of many partners, each of whom is determined to avoid making perfect the enemy of the good.” In addition to the co-chairs, in attendance at the roundtable discussion were Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus members Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) and Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), as well as representatives from the offices of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). Staff from the Heritage Foundation, Americans for a Balanced Budget Amendment, FreedomWorks, the National Capitol Tea Party, the National Taxpayers Union, the Congressional Research Service, and Renewing American Leadership also participated in the event. “I was encouraged by our recent meeting with various grassroots organizations and I look forward to working with them to pass H.J. Res 1, a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution,” said Goodlatte. “It is no secret that the American people are facing a very tough economic climate. Families and small businesses are cutting back on expenses. In these challenging economic times it is even more important for government to control spending. The federal government must work to both eliminate every cent of waste and squeeze every cent of value out of each dollar our citizens entrust to it. When you are preparing a budget for your family, you know that you can’t spend more than you take in. It’s a simple concept but one that Congress has failed to adhere to for far too long. We must balance the budget and reduce the deficit and the debt – not by raising taxes, but by being good stewards of taxpayer money.” Wednesday’s roundtable was the second event in as many months hosted by the newly formed Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus. At the last event former House Speaker Newt Gingrich delivered a lecture titled, “A balanced budget, we’ve done it before, we can do it again.” That event was attended by more than a dozen Members of Congress.
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