CHAIRMAN

BILL FRENZEL
CRFB Commends Presidential Call for Fiscal Responsibility
PRESIDENT April 27, 2009
MAYA MACGUINEAS
This weekend, President Obama used his Weekly Address to warn of
DIRECTORS
BARRY ANDERSON
rising deficits and debt and call for fiscal responsibility in government. In
ROY ASH particular, the President announced that his administration would work to
CHARLES BOWSHER cut or eliminate 100 government programs, create incentives to reduce
STEVE COLL
DAN CRIPPEN
wasteful spending, and enact pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budget rules into
VIC FAZIO law.
WILLIS GRADISON
WILLIAM GRAY, III
WILLIAM HOAGLAND The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) is encouraged by
DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN the President’s announcement and believes his proposals represent a solid
JIM JONES
start towards restoring fiscal discipline in Washington.
LOU KERR
JIM KOLBE
JAMES LYNN “Enacting PAYGO and cutting wasteful spending are absolutely vital to
JAMES MCINTYRE, JR.
getting the deficit under control,” said Marc Goldwein, Policy Director for
DAVID MINGE
JIM NUSSLE the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. “But given the severity of
MARNE OBERNAUER, JR. the situation, slowing the bleeding just is not enough. Our government
JUNE O’NEILL
RUDOLPH PENNER
needs to move beyond these measures and begin tax and entitlement
TIM PENNY reform.”
PETER PETERSON
ROBERT REISCHAUER
ALICE RIVLIN
The Committee urges Congress to heed the President’s call for fiscal
CHARLES W. STENHOLM responsibility through adopting strong budget rules and submitting
GENE STEUERLE PAYGO legislation to the President. PAYGO should apply to all
DAVID STOCKMAN
PAUL VOLCKER mandatory spending and tax cuts, including AMT patches, Medicare pay
CAROL COX WAIT patches, and the expiring tax cuts.
DAVID M. WALKER
JOSEPH WRIGHT, JR.
“The President was right – it will take an ‘all hands on deck approach’ to
SENIOR ADVISORS get us back on track,” Goldwein concluded. “We’re going to need broad
HENRY BELLMON
support for fiscal responsibility if we are to make the tough choices
ELMER STAATS
ROBERT STRAUSS necessary to keep deficits under control.”

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