Pelosi names Van Hollen named to deficit panel
Tapped Thursday for the bipartisan congressional committee that will be charged with finding $1.5 trillion in federal deficit reduction, Rep. Chris Van Hollen said the panel should focus on jobs.
“Putting America back to work is the best and most immediate way to reduce our deficit as we also develop and implement a balanced plan to establish long-term fiscal discipline and sustained economic growth,” the Montgomery County Democrat said in a statement Thursday. “Our plan should put jobs first, sharpen America's competitive edge, ensure health and retirement security, and require shared responsibility from those who have done so well even during these tough economic times. Together, we can build a prosperous and secure future for all Americans.”
Van Hollen, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, was chosen by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve on the 12-member Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, which was created last week as part of the deal to raise the federal debt ceiling.
The legislation charged the so-called supercommittee with identifying $1.2 to $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction by Nov. 23. That’s on top of some $900 billion in cuts ordered over the next 10 years.
If the supercommittee is unable to agree on the additional reductions, or if Congress does not accept its recommendations, the law imposes automatic cuts of $1.2 trillion.
Pelosi said the panel “has a golden opportunity to take its discussions to the higher ground of America's greatness and its values.”
In a statement, she said the committee must focus on economic growth and job creation; make decisions regarding investments, cuts and revenues and their timing to stimulate growth; and increase demand by offering recommendations that ensure that wages grow with productivity and reduce America’s families’ dependence on credit.
“We must achieve a ‘grand bargain’ that reduces the deficit by addressing our entire budget, while strengthening Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security,” Pelosi said.
Where Democrats speak of increasing revenues by closing what they characterize as tax loopholes and allowing tax cuts initially signed by President George Bush to expire, Republicans have focused on cutting spending.
Earlier this week, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell cited "chronic joblessness, out-of-control deficits and debt," and described entitlement programs as "the biggest drivers of our debt."
House Speaker John Boehner said “our debt and deficits are a threat to our economy, and America cannot achieve long-term job growth until we take action to address this crisis."
He said the supercommittee "presents an opportunity for both parties to bring to the table their best ideas, debate them on the merits, and ultimately come together to do what’s best for our country."
“The two parties have fundamental differences about government and its proper role in our society," Boehner said. "Where we've been able to agree, we have acted, and in a way consistent with the American people’s desire for a smaller, less costly, and more accountable government. Still, the differences remain, and so does the urgent work of returning our economy to creating jobs and lifting the crushing burden of debt that threatens our children’s future."
The supercommittee is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans each from the House and the Senate, selected by each party’s leader in each chamber.
With Pelosi’s announcement, the membership is now complete. In addition to Van Hollen, it includes Democratic Sens. Max Baucus of Montana, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Patty Murray of Washington, Republican Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona, Rob Portman of Ohio and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Democratic Reps. James Clyburn of South Carolina and Xavier Becerra of California and Republican Reps. Dave Camp of Michigan, Jeb Hensarling of Texas and Fred Upton of Michigan. Murray and Hensarling have been named co-chairs.
Van Hollen, who represents parts of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland’s Washington suburbs, could use his position to give voice to the tens of thousands of federal workers whose jobs have been threatened during the deficit debate by talk of spending cuts.
Comments
I think that the automatic cuts will be enforced, because no one will want their names associated with compromising.
Posted by: Michelle Brown | August 11, 2011 1:39 PM
Is this panel the Gang of Six, or the Gang of Five, or the Super Congress? What a joke!
The 1.5 trillion that everyone rants about is reductions in proposed spending increases. Like saying you will cut your debt by 100k by not purchasing the lamborghini next year.
Expiration of the Bush tax cuts is also baked in this cake. So as long as that happens and there is no other major stimulus, no new wars etc., then we should hit $20 trillion debt by 2017. Whoopie!
Our credit rating should be around CCC by that time too.
Posted by: Aman | August 11, 2011 2:09 PM
What? this has been up for over an hour and no snarky comments yet? C'mon regular posters--surely there's something about this you can complain about, you're letting me down!!
Posted by: murfneil | August 11, 2011 2:16 PM
If he embarasses himself like MOM did on Greta last nightthe rest of his district that aren't Federal workers might vote him out.Remember when you enable him you enable mom.Remember that when your paying your new state taxes and fees.
Posted by: Kevin | August 11, 2011 2:21 PM
Pelosi, at least, showed good sense with her designees to serve on this powerful budget cutting recommendation panel. These three will play hardball to counter the hardball that will come from the six Republican "no tax increase ever" extremists that will also serve. I wish I though Harry Reid had showed the same good sense with his three appointees. All it takes is for one to cave and the recommendations of this panel will be worthless. The best that can be hoped for now is an eventual automatic cut (including in defense spending as well as in programs that help people).
Posted by: Ken Stevens | August 11, 2011 2:34 PM
Putting people who are spending and taxing idiots like Van Hollen and Clyburn who caused this debt and deficit on this "committee" is a fools game.
Posted by: Insanity Rules the Day in Pelosiville | August 11, 2011 3:07 PM
"Rep. Chris Van Hollen said the panel should focus on jobs."
This fricking idiot spent every dollar we have and a lot we don't and is put on a "Deficit cutting panel" and he want to focus on jobs?
No wonder they say liberalism is a mental defect.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 11, 2011 3:51 PM
That paragraph starting with "In a statement, she [Pelosi] said the committee must..." -- everything that follows is verbatim* from Pelosi. Not surprising, with that intro, but isn't it standard practice to depict actual quotations with...I don't know, quotation marks? And if you're summarizing the statement (and removing stuff, see below) to use your own words instead of a politician's own flowery language?
*Also, it seems pretty odd to me that the original quotation twice mentions "reduc[ing] the deficit", but that was removed both times.
Posted by: Joe | August 11, 2011 3:54 PM
"(including in defense spending as well as in programs that help people)." - Ken
Yeah, you're right. No one's ever benefited from defense spending. Ever.
Posted by: Joe | August 11, 2011 3:57 PM
Wow, stealth-editing a GOP position into the post? Am I still on the same site?
Posted by: Joe | August 11, 2011 4:23 PM
I am afraid the committee will deadlock.
If the republicans refuse to even consider ANY tax increase (e.g., egregious closing loopholes) then the Democrats will refuse to consider ANY adjustment to Social Security or Medicare.
So far, the Democrats seem to be more willing to give but the Republicans have to give something.
I personally think the republican "NO revenue increase" is absurd and harms the country.
Posted by: Tom Spence | August 11, 2011 4:38 PM
"I personally think the republican "NO revenue increase" is absurd and harms the country." Posted by: Tom Spence
I think false premises are more absurd and hurt the discussion.
Who has said "no revenue increases?
I have heard no new TAXES!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 11, 2011 4:44 PM
The outcome of the super-committees work is predictable before it ever meets: The automatic cuts will be enacted!
At some point both Democratic and Republicans must put their differences and personal preferences aside, and work for the higher good of the people. Partisan politics is ruining this great and wonder nation of ours. Can you image how great this country could be if the collective minds of our leaders worked together to solve this country's problems? We would truly live up to our reputation as the greatest country in the world.
Posted by: Maka | August 11, 2011 6:58 PM
Van Hollen is a Pakastani...yes, he was born in Pakastan.
Now, the only thing good about that is he can't run for president.
But, based upon his terrible record and his support for illegal aliens over citizens, I don't think he will bring anything good to the table.
Posted by: Anon | August 11, 2011 9:31 PM
Van Hollen, Kerry, Baucus, good grief what a crew of spenders. Let the committee be deadlocked and let the cuts begin.
Posted by: reader203 | August 11, 2011 9:38 PM