U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Tuesday regarding the appointment of Mark Prater to serve as Staff Director to the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction:

“Mark is one of the brightest, most knowledgeable, trusted and professional staffers on Capitol Hill. His expertise and years of involvement on tax, finance and economic issues make him an excellent choice as Staff Director to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. The Joint Committee has a big job ahead of it, and I am confident that Mark’s know-how and expertise will go a long way towards helping the 12-member panel reach its goal of reducing the deficit by at least $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years.”