Commission Will Seek Bipartisan Solutions to the Debt; Thurman Calls on Republicans to Work With Democrats to Put Our Country on NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
For Immediate Release: Feb. 18, 2010
Florida Party Chair Karen Thurman Praises President Obama’s Bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
Commission Will Seek Bipartisan Solutions to the Debt
Thurman Calls on Republicans to Work With Democrats to Put Our Country on Path to Financial Responsibility
Today President Barack Obama signed an executive order to establish the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.  The President appointed former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming to chair the commission.  On the news of President Obama’s establishing of this commission that will put our country on a path to financial responsibility, Florida Party Chair Karen Thurman issued the following statement:
“The creation of President Obama’s bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is welcome news and is a demonstration of the bold leadership that President Obama is taking on some of the toughest issues facing the American people.  President Obama and Democrats are serious about making the tough choices that need to be made to rein in deficit spending and deal with our nation’s long-term fiscal problems in a bipartisan way.
“Upon taking office, President Obama inherited a record amount of debt that had grown on the Republicans’ watch with the help of Republicans.  The debt, if unchecked, will saddle our children with a crushing burden, hobble our economy, and make the American Dream harder and harder to attain.  This is why President Obama has established this Commission, to put our nation on a path to fiscal security and deal with our out of control spending and ever-increasing debt
“President Obama has named two talented and committed individuals from both sides of the aisle to lead this commission.  After many leading Republicans and self-described ‘fiscal hawks’ voted down a similar fiscal commission in the Senate out of pure politics,  I hope that Republicans in Congress will now take this opportunity to join President Obama in working across the aisle to put our fiscal house back in order.” President Obama signed today’s executive order after Republicans in the Senate defeated a proposal to create a Congressional panel on the deficit in January.  In the near-term, the Commission will propose recommendations to put the budget in primary balance by 2015 and will look for ways to put our country on a path to fiscal responsibility.  This is part of the President’s greater efforts to grow our economy and cut wasteful spending—his proposals to freeze government spending and pass comprehensive health insurance reform will do just that.
 The commission will have 18 members, including the two co-chairs.  President Obama will appoint four additional members, and Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress will each appoint six members.  Each recommendation by the commission must be approved by at least 14 members to ensure all recommendations are bipartisan. The Commission will vote on a final report by Dec. 1, 2010. 
-###-