Letter to John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives - Appoint Budget Conferees

Letter

Congressman Tim Ryan today joined his Democratic Budget Committee Colleagues in sending a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, urging him to immediately appoint budget conferees to negotiate a 2014 budget resolution with the U.S. Senate. The letter was signed by all Democratic members of the House Budget Committee.

The full text of the letter is below.

April 17, 2013

The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker of the House of Representatives
H-232, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Boehner,

We write today to strongly urge the immediate appointment of conferees to negotiate a Fiscal Year 2014 reconciled budget resolution with the United States Senate. Last month, the Senate joined the House of Representatives in passing a Concurrent Resolution on the budget. Now that President Obama has provided his spending blueprint for the approaching fiscal year, it is the responsibility of both chambers to promptly organize a conference committee and proceed with budget deliberations under regular order.

Clearly, there are aspects of all three proposals that will elicit strong debate between chambers and across the political spectrum. However, the American people, many of whom are still enduring the effects of an economy in recovery, deserve no less than an honest and serious effort by the House and Senate to reconcile differences and move our nation forward by enacting a budget.

There are significant differences in opinion on how to best set the budget on a sustainable path, strengthen the economy and create well-paying jobs, and strengthen the programs providing the modest benefits that allow our seniors to live with dignity. Yet, despite those disparate views, there is no excuse for dysfunction in Congress, and there can be no justification for the failure to engage in a meaningful attempt to find common ground.

The joint statement issued by Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan regarding efforts to proceed with regular order was an encouraging step. Section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 sets a statutory deadline of April 15 for Congress to complete action on adopting a joint budget resolution conference report-- a deadline that Congress has already missed. It is the responsibility of Congress to complete its business on time. For so many Americans struggling to make ends meet, there can be no further delay. On behalf of these men and women, we respectfully request that you proceed with appointments to a conference committee on the budget resolution.

Sincerely,

Chris Van Hollen (MD-08), Ranking Member
David Cicilline (RI-01)
Allyson Schwartz (PA-13)
John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Bill Pascrell (NJ-08)
Tim Ryan (OH-17)
Gwen Moore (WI-04)
Kathy Castor (FL-11)
Jim McDermott (WA-07)
Barbara Lee (CA-13)
Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08)
Mark Pocan (WI-02)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01)
Jared Huffman (CA-02)
Tony Cardenas (CA-29)
Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Kurt Schrader (OR-05)