04.13.12

Sessions Issues Statement On Conrad’s Planned Mark-Up, Reid’s Decision To Block Budget From Floor

“I am glad that the Chairman is moving forward with this mandatory process despite the apparent wishes of his leadership. But the great question before us now is whether Majority Leader Reid will reverse his unconscionable stance that no budget—even his Chairman’s—should receive consideration on the Senate floor. If that stance does not change, then the whole purpose of the mark-up is undermined and the American people will have been denied the open, public process they deserve… I hope Chairman Conrad will join me in calling upon his party’s leadership to ensure that a budget is very soon brought to the floor for consideration, amendment, and debate from the entire Senate and in the full view of the American people.” 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today ahead of next week’s planned mark-up of a budget resolution in committee:

“The Senate’s Democrat majority is now in its third consecutive year without passing a budget resolution as required by law. The last time they authored and adopted a plan was April 29th, 2009. Since that time, this Chamber’s majority has refused to bring to the floor their financial plan for America. The reason for this is clear: Senate Democrats are unable to translate their rhetoric into a plan that they can publicly defend and unite behind. As such, the Senate’s Democrat majority has proven themselves unworthy to lead at this dangerous hour for our Republic.

Next week, Chairman Conrad has announced he will bring up a budget in committee. I am glad that the Chairman is moving forward with this mandatory process despite the apparent wishes of his leadership. But the great question before us now is whether Majority Leader Reid will reverse his unconscionable stance that no budget—even his Chairman’s—should receive consideration on the Senate floor. If that stance does not change, then the whole purpose of the mark-up is undermined and the American people will have been denied the open, public process they deserve.

We are all very interested to see what the Chairman’s plan will contain. I certainly would expect him to do better than President Obama, whose proposal not only made no change to our disastrous debt course, but also hiked taxes to fund a massive $1.6 trillion spending increase, in the process wiping out the spending reductions agreed to in the Budget Control Act just last August. We will look to see, for instance, whether the Chairman proposes genuine entitlement reform—such as the bipartisan, patient-centered reform in the House proposal—to put programs like Medicare on a long-term sustainable path. We will look to see how the resolution addresses the $17 trillion unfunded obligation imposed by the president’s health law. We will look to see whether it contains genuine tax reform, or simply a large tax increase disguised as reform. And we will look to see whether there are net spending cuts beyond the $2.1 trillion in the Budget Control Act: in other words, will he spend more or less than the approximately $44 trillion we are now projected to spend over the next ten years? For instance, if the Chairman simply marks to the fiscal commission it would likely not constitute a real net spending cut from current levels—only a tax increase.

It will be an important week for the country. And I hope Chairman Conrad will join me in calling upon his party’s leadership to ensure that a budget is very soon brought to the floor for consideration, amendment, and debate from the entire Senate and in the full view of the American people.”