Letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States - Support a Comprehensive Deficit Reduction Package

Letter

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, joined U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today -- along with 61 of their colleagues -- in calling on President Obama to support a comprehensive deficit reduction package in budget negotiations.

The 64 senators asked President Obama to engage in budget negotiations beyond FY2011, and to include discretionary spending cuts, entitlement changes and tax reform in those discussions in order to bring about meaningful deficit reduction. In addition, the senators commended the efforts of a bipartisan group of senators, who have been working to craft a comprehensive deficit reduction package based upon the recommendations of the Fiscal Commission.

"By approaching these negotiations comprehensively, with a strong signal of support from you, we believe that we can achieve consensus on these important fiscal issues. This would send a powerful message to Americans that Washington can work together to tackle this critical issue," the senators wrote.

The full text of the letter is included below, or can be viewed on my website.

Dear President Obama:

As the Administration continues to work with Congressional leadership regarding our current budget situation, we write to inform you that we believe comprehensive deficit reduction measures are imperative and to ask you to support a broad approach to solving the problem.

As you know, a bipartisan group of Senators has been working to craft a comprehensive deficit reduction package based upon the recommendations of the Fiscal Commission. While we may not agree with every aspect of the Commission's recommendations, we believe that its work represents an important foundation to achieve meaningful progress on our debt. The Commission's work also underscored the scope and breadth of our nation's long-term fiscal challenges.

Beyond FY2011 funding decisions, we urge you to engage in a broader discussion about a comprehensive deficit reduction package. Specifically, we hope that the discussion will include discretionary spending cuts, entitlement changes and tax reform.

By approaching these negotiations comprehensively, with a strong signal of support from you, we believe that we can achieve consensus on these important fiscal issues. This would send a powerful message to Americans that Washington can work together to tackle this critical issue.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

In addition to Sens. Johanns, Bennet and Moran, the letter was signed by the following senators:

Republicans:

Lamar Alexander (R--TN), ? Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John ?Barrasso (R-WY), Roy ?Blunt (MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Scott Brown (R- MA), Richard Burr (R -NC), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Dan ?Coats (R-IN), Tom ?Coburn (R-OK), Thad ?Cochran (R-MS), Bob ?Corker (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX) Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike ?Enzi (R-WY), Lindsay Graham (R-SC) John ?Hoeven (R-ND), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ron ?Johnson (R-WI), Mark ?Kirk (R-IL), Mike ?Lee (R-UT), Lisa ?Murkowski (R-AK), Rob ?Portman (R-OH),? James Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Richard Shelby (R-AL), John Thune (R-SD) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

Democrats:

John Kerry (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Mark Begich (D-AK), Thomas Carper (D-DE), Mark Udall (D- CO), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Al Franken (D-MN), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) , Kent Conrad (D-ND) , Mark Warner (D-VA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).