WELCOMES HIS CALL FOR LIMITING SPENDING BUT CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORT TO REDUCE THE DEBT

Washington, Jan 25 -

“The course is clear,” stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Sixth), “we need to change the direction of our nation.  I welcome the President’s proposal to restrain the growth in spending, but his plan is far too modest to prevent the crushing debt that imperils our economy.  His proposal for a five-year freeze of non-defense discretionary spending would account for about $400 billion over 10 years.  I support a more robust approach to reduce the debt, the Republican Spending Reduction Act, which would reduce spending by $2.5 trillion over 10 years.Millions of Americans are getting by with less, and the federal government must do the same.”

Stearns also noted the President’s call for additional spending in certain areas.  “President Obama calls these proposals an investment; but in fact they would increase federal spending and add to our $14 trillion debt.  When you add more government spending under the guise of a ‘charitable impulse’ and/or fairness, you are offering more government, fostering greater dependency, and giving the government more power over communities and individuals.  Instead, I urge the President to focus on holding down federal spending, providing tax relief, and adopting regulatory reform.”

Added Stearns, “Federal mandates and regulations provide additional burdens to economic progress, and we need to carefully examine their effectiveness and costs. Susan Dudley, administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs under President Bush, stated that the Obama administration’s regulatory agenda identifies some 4,000 rules under development.  As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I will be holding a hearing on the administration’s regulatory agenda on Wednesday, January 26^th to examine its impact on job creation and economic growth.”