On the heels of the President’s State of the Union address, Congressman Patrick E. Murphy (D-FL) and Congressman Robert Pittenger (R-NC) outlined the details of a statement of principles agreed upon by a bipartisan group of 36 freshman members.  This statement was delivered to the President and both Republican and Democrat House leadership today and was signed by Reps.  Patrick Murphy (D-FL), Robert Pittenger (R-NC), Andy Barr (R-KY), Kerry Bentivolio (R-MI), Ami Bera (D-CA), Susan Brooks (R-IN), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Pete Gallego (D-TX), Joe Garcia (D-FL), George Holding (R-NC), David Joyce (R-OH), Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Grace Meng (D-NY), Luke Messer (R-IN), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Scott Peters (D-CA), Trey Radel (R-FL), Tom Rice (R-SC), Keith Rothfus (R-PA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Steve Stockman (R-TX), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Randy Weber (R-TX), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ted Yoho (R-FL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), David G. Valadao (R-CA), and Steve Daines (R-MT). (Please find below a copy of the statement of principles.) 

“This group standing here with me has been meeting regularly for over a month and have crafted a statement of purpose that we have sent to our leaders – both Democrat and Republican, on Capitol Hill and Pennsylvania Avenue – imploring them to ‘go big’ with their solutions, to not be timid and stick to short term fixes but take this opportunity of looming sequestration and an expiring Congressional spending resolution to forge a grand bargain,” said Rep. Murphy.  “We understand that we must put partisanship aside and our country’s future first, believing that bipartisanship can help make our economy and future more stable and more hopeful.”

“For too many years, folks in Washington have yelled at each other, but never taken the time to listen.  Our Nation’s tremendous fiscal problems won’t be solved by more posturing, but they will be solved when we sit down and find common ground,” said Rep. Pittenger.  “That doesn’t mean individual members won’t still have disagreements, but by working together we’ll go farther than by working alone.”

In addition to the statement of principles, Reps. Murphy and Pittenger also announced the formation of the United Solutions Caucus for like-minded members who are committed to working together to find common ground on the fiscal issues facing our nation.

Bipartisan Freshman Members’ Statement of Principles:

The 113th Congress House Republican and Democratic new members are troubled by the fiscal crisis facing the country, with burdensome debt and trillion dollar annual deficits, which affect economic growth for all and healthcare assurances for our seniors.  Members of our class implore the President and Congress to address this serious challenge now.  In recent years, Congress has lacked the political will to come together and find solutions.  The freshman members of the 113th Congress believe now is the time to work together.

We call upon leadership to no longer accept piecemeal solutions and to work toward finding long-term solutions to avoid financial collapse like Greece and other European countries.  The bi-partisan freshmen members, as noted below, come to the table with mutual understanding and without personal agendas or political gamesmanship. 

We affirm the following actions to secure the fiscal health of our nation:

• Strengthen and Preserve Medicare and Social Security – While protecting current recipients and seniors, we must reform the Medicare and Social Security’s long-term financial obligations by addressing rising health care costs and changing demographics.  The goal is to make sure these essential programs meet our obligations to our seniors and ensure that these bedrocks are available to future generations, while reducing our long-term deficit and debt issues.
• Promote economic growth to generate revenue – Of critical importance is a fair and broad tax plan including eliminating excessive corporate subsidies, tax loopholes and other subsidies to provide lower rates, that will encourage a pro-growth economy, providing added revenue for the federal budget.  We must also encourage innovation with less stringent regulation to help small businesses grow, which will lower unemployment. 
• Cutting spending – While some spending cuts have already been made, we must look for additional savings moving forward to further reduce spending, while seeking to protect the programs that are crucial to our future health as a nation.
• Identify efficiencies and consolidations – Restructure and consolidate agencies and departments, eliminating duplication and waste.  
• Medicaid fraud – Aggressively pursue Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse.

We believe that a bipartisan effort encompassing these needed reforms will yield a prosperous future for our country, while making good to today’s seniors who are counting on the federal government to fulfill its obligations. We are committed to a new era in Congress where bipartisan solutions are the norm.  We are dedicated to working with leadership to help bring these solutions to reality.  The common good of the country demands good faith negotiation, compromise, and immediate and significant action.

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