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Article: News and Messenger: Connolly: Fiscal Report Deserves Bipartisan Consideration
Dec 3 2010
Connolly: Fiscal report deserves bipartisan consideration
By Keith Walker
The final report from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform report is due out Friday but the commission has released an early draft of the report called "The Moment of Truth."
The report contains a broad spectrum of proposals to reduce the deficit including a three year pay freeze for federal employees and defense department civilians, reducing congressional and White House budgets by 15 percent, reducing the size of the federal workforce through attrition, eliminating congressional earmarks and freezing pay for members of Congress for three years.
Rep. Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly, D-11th, said the commission’s recommendations deserve bipartisan consideration.
"The “Moment of Truth” report released by the leaders of President Obama’s fiscal commission ... highlights the difficult choices facing our nation as we seek to reduce long-term budget deficits. I applaud the members of the commission for their diligent work thus far and wish them the best as they continue their efforts," Connolly said.
Connolly said he expects that some of the options laid out in the report will create “huge political backlash” but something has to be done.
“If we ever hope to meet this challenge of restoring fiscal order in America, both parties must be willing to venture outside the confines of rigid ideology and resist the urge to stop this process in its tracks by drawing lines in the sand,” Connolly said.
The report also calls for Medicare reform, taxes increases, capping discretionary spending through 2012 and extending the age at which people qualify for Social Security benefits. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said he has not completely reviewed the report, but from what he’s seen the proposal contains some “solid” but “tough”recommendations.
“I hope these proposals receive broad bipartisan support among commission members and will be evaluated with an open mind by my colleagues. You hear a lot of talk in this town about deficit reduction. With this bipartisan framework, it’s time to put up or shut up,” Warner said. “We must not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.”
To see the full report by the 18-member commission of senators, congressmen, business leaders and former high-level government officials, visit