Rep. Barton Applauds GOP Leader's Economic Plan, Urges Bipartisan Support

Statement

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Ennis/Arlington), Ranking Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, today issued the following statement supporting GOP Leader John Boehner's (R-OH) plan to boost the economy and job market by cutting government spending to 2008 levels and freezing the current tax rates for the next two years.

"I applaud Leader Boehner's plan because he is right -- action can't wait. The last thing we need during these trying economic times is a tax increase, yet that is exactly what Democrats and President Obama are proposing. If the tax cuts are allowed to expire at the end of this year, everyone will feel the effects in their paychecks and it will be even more difficult for American families to make ends meet. But stopping the upcoming $3.8 trillion tax hike is only part of the equation, we must also cut spending. That is why I support leader Boehner's plan to roll back the federal spending to 2008 levels. I have also authored the STRONG Budget Act (Slash the Rising cost of Our Nation's Growing debt). It would enact across the board cuts -- excluding earned entitlements - until the budget is balanced.

We have to once again make our economy employer-friendly. Businesses aren't going to hire more workers with the fear of higher taxes and the burden of federal mandates hanging over their heads.

I urge the President and Democrats in Congress to heed Leader Boehner's call for bipartisanship. We need to work together to fix the economic ills in this country."

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