Oversight
Sessions Calls For Action As Deficit Projection Worsens
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, responded tonight to President Obama's State of the Union address and the president's plan to maintain increased levels of discretionary spending: "Massive federal spending has placed our nation on an unsustainable path. And yet tonight the President pledged to continue down this perilous road for at least five more years. Instead of deficit reduction, President Obama has put a forward a plan for deficit … Continue Reading
06.13.11
Sessions Reacts To State Of The Union: President In 'Denial' On Spending
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, responded tonight to President Obama's State of the Union address and the president's plan to maintain increased levels of discretionary spending: "Massive federal spending has placed our nation on an unsustainable path. And yet tonight the President pledged to continue down this perilous road for at least five more years. Instead of deficit reduction, President Obama has put a forward a plan for deficit … Continue Reading
06.13.11
FACT CHECK: OBAMACARE AND THE DEFICIT
Democrats used budget gimmicks to manipulate the CBO score of Obamacare. The truth: It adds nearly $700 billion to the deficit in the first ten years alone. The Gimmicks: • Counting a full ten years of tax increases to pay for only six years of new health care spending. Imaginary savings from Democrats, but deficits in the real world. • Double-counting $398 billion in Medicare cuts. Democrats count it both as money to extend the life of Medicare and as money to pay for a new health… Continue Reading
06.13.11
Sessions Delivers Opening Remarks At First Budget Hearing Of 112th Congress
"Our goal is not an era of austerity but an era of prosperity." WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), incoming Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, delivered an opening statement at today's hearing, prior to the testimony of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, concerning America's economic situation and growing debt. Sessions' remarks, as prepared, follow: "Thank you Mr. Chairman. I respect you, value our friendship, and look forward to working with you to make our countr… Continue Reading
06.10.11
With Economic Recovery Weakest In Modern History, Senate Democrats Deny Country Much-Needed Budget
[Note: To view a one-pager on debt and jobs, please click here.]"Our fast-rising debt, and our inability to adopt a credible budget plan, is shattering economic confidence and jeopardizing our future. Yet Senate Democrats refuse to put forward such a budget plan or to confront the debt that they themselves have surged... To put America back to work the Senate needs to get back to work."WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the followin… Continue Reading
06.10.11
By The Numbers: As Senate Democrats Ignore Budget, Debt Surges And Economy Suffers
768 .................. Days since the Democrat Senate has passed a budget resolution $3.2 trillion ....... Debt accumulated since a budget was last passed $7.1 trillion ....... Total federal spending over that time $413 billion ....... Net interest payments over that time 2024 ................ Projected year that Medicare will go bankrupt 9.1 .................. Percent of workforce currently unemployed 90,000 ............. Approximate number of federal workers hired since the Senate last p… Continue Reading
06.10.11
Responding to Grim Job Stats, Sessions Highlights Need for Budget, Spending Control
"The persistence of slow growth and unacceptably high unemployment demonstrates the failure of this administration's attempts to revive the economy by artificial means... Our inability to honestly budget got us into this mess. But the Democrat-led Senate, which has not passed a budget plan in 765 days, has decided this year not to present a budget plan at all... They are unwilling to produce a budget because they are unwilling to accept our fiscal reality. It's the hubris of big government."WASH… Continue Reading
06.10.11
Sessions Remarks On Majority Leader Reid’s Decision To Duck Adjournment Vote
"The Majority Leader's decision not to bring adjournment to a vote... is a stark admission that the Democrat Senate cannot justify to the American people its unwillingness to work on a budget. So indefensible is their stance that they have resorted to ducking a simple vote on whether to adjourn the chamber for Memorial Day recess." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following comment today after Majority Leader Reid decided not t… Continue Reading
06.10.11
GOP Senators Tell Reid: No Budget, No Recess
"In this time of economic danger, the Senate continues to stonewall any and all action on a FY2012 budget. For this reason, we respectfully request that you delay any adjournment of this body until you or members of your party in the Senate bring forward a budget resolution and schedule a meeting of the Budget Committee-a power which resides solely with the majority- to work on that budget..."The House completed its work on the FY2012 budget resolution on April 15th. But no budget can become bin… Continue Reading
06.10.11
Sessions: "Shameful Display" From Reid, Senate Dem Leaders On Budget
"The reason we have not seen a budget from Chairman Conrad and the Democrat Senate is because they know that they can't put forward a plan that wins the support of both their caucus and of the American people... The Democrat strategy is just to attack, vilify, and disparage House Republicans because they did the honorable thing and put forward an honest plan...If, after this shameful display, Majority Leader Reid wants to adjourn for recess, all I can say is this: not with my consent. I will for… Continue Reading
05.23.11
With Committee Markup Possible Next Week, Sessions Says Nation Can’t Afford A Closed Process
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement about the potential for a budget mark-up next week and the need for the public and the press to be able to review the proposed resolution 72 hours in advance: "After weeks of delay, I have been informed that a mark-up in the Budget Committee may occur as soon as the beginning of next week. Every single Republican has asked for, and expects to receive, 72 hours to review Chair… Continue Reading
05.23.11
Sessions Renews Call for Honest Budget As Committee Analysis Debunks President’s Deficit Claims
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today as the Budget Committee released a new staff analysis that revealed the president's framework to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion would grow it $2.2 trillion beyond the CBO baseline.Remarking on the new deficit commission convened by President Obama, Sessions says it is essential that the White House come forward with a new, detailed plan: "Faced with widespread repudi… Continue Reading
05.23.11
As Markup Nears, Republicans Appeal To Conrad Not To Conceal Budget Plan From Public, Members
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, joined by all of the Committee's Republican Senators, wrote today to reiterate to Chairman Kent Conrad the Senators' belief that any budget markup should be conducted in an open and transparent manner. The Senators' requests include having the text posted online in advance and making staff available to answer questions in committee (as was the case until recently) about the resolution's content. A text of … Continue Reading
05.23.11
Sessions Concerned By White House Meeting, Stalled Budget From Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement today after the White House scheduled two summit meetings on the budget this week, a decision that would appear to necessitate the cancellation of this week's much-anticipated mark- up of a Senate Democrat budget, most recently expected to begin on Wednesday: "The announcement of these summit meetings at the White House is a stunning development. It has been 740 days since … Continue Reading
05.23.11
As Details Emerge On Dem Budget Plan, Sessions Previews New Committee Analysis On Deficit Reduction
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, made the following comments today as details began to emerge about the composition of the Senate Democrat budget, which has yet to be presented publicly. News reports have indicated that the balance of tax increases to spending cuts is likely to be as heavy as 1-to-1. Sessions previewed a new Budget Committee analysis of available research that shows that countries that turn to spending cuts, rather than ta… Continue Reading
05.23.11
Sessions Responds To Report That Senate Dem Budget Will Have More Taxes Than Savings
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following comment today after news reports surfaced that the not-yet-public Democrat budget will tax more than it saves: "I am troubled by reports that the Senate Democrat budget will tax more than it saves-cutting only $1.5 trillion over ten years at a time when then this year's deficit alone will reach that high. Our committee will soon release an analysis conclusively showing that countries p… Continue Reading
05.23.11
In Light Of ‘Gang of Six’ Developments, Sessions Tells Democrat Leaders That Budget Blockade Must End
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following comment today after news reports revealed that budget negotiations among the ''Gang of Six'' may have hit an impasse. Democrat leaders have used these negotiations as a pretext for not moving forward with the Senate budget process weeks after the statutory deadline has passed. With the nation heading towards fiscal crisis, Sessions stressed that Senate Democrats must stop obstructing th… Continue Reading
05.23.11
Joint Statement From Senate Budget Committee Republicans Marking 750 Days Since Senate Dems Have Passed A Budget
WASHINGTON-All 11 Republican members of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee-Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)-issued the following joint statement today on the failure of Senate Democrats to produce a budget this year or pass one in 750 days… Continue Reading
05.23.11
Sessions Replies To Conrad Announcement On Democrat Budget
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following comment today in response to the announcement by Senate Democrats that a budget markup will be indefinitely "deferred": "I appreciate that Senator Conrad has recognized the serious concerns that I, my Republican colleagues, and millions of Americans have over the decision of the Democrat-led Senate to not pass a budget in the last 750 days, to not present a budget at all this year, and… Continue Reading
05.23.11
Sessions And Ayotte, Joined By All GOP Senators, Press Reid For Action On Stalled Senate Budget
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), the newest member of the Budget Committee, authored a letter signed by all 47 Republican senators pressing Majority Leader Reid for action on the stalled FY2012 Senate budget. Though it requires only 51 votes, Senate Democrats have not passed a budget in 754 days, during which time the nation has accumulated approximately $3.2 trillion in new gross debt. This year, Senate Democ… Continue Reading
