Graves One of 103 Reps. To Call On House GOP Leadership To Support ‘Cut, Cap, and Balance’ Solution To Debt Crisis
Washington, D.C.,
June 6, 2011 -
U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) was one of 103 Representatives to sign a Republican Study Committee (RSC) letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor calling for a three-pronged approach—called “Cut, Cap, and Balance”—to resolve the debt crisis. Rep. Graves issued the following statement on the letter:
“With nearly 14 million Americans looking for work today, it’s time for America to take a new direction to strengthen the economy, bring stability to the marketplace, and get people back to work. With the Obama Administration clinging to failed policies, Congress must be proactive, and I believe enacting the Republican Study Committee’s ‘Cut, Cap, and Balance’ proposal would be the strongest possible signal both at home and abroad that America is back in business. As our Republican leaders engage in debt limit negotiations with the White House and Senate Democrats, we call on them to use this plan.
“The immediate spending cuts will help preserve our AAA credit rating and improve our credit outlook. The spending caps put government in a box, so while legislators may choose what programs to fund, they will be constrained and unable to overspend. Finally, sending the Balanced Budget Amendment to the States, should they approve it, would ensure that our country will never again wear the stain of the kind of fiscal recklessness that put our citizens $14 trillion in debt.”
The letter outlined the RSC’s “Cut, Cap and Balance” proposal:
- Immediate spending cuts to slash the deficit in half next year. According to March projections from the Congressional Budget Office, this would require spending cuts of approximately $380 billion in the 2012 fiscal year.
- Statutory, enforceable spending caps to reduce total federal spending to 18% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is in line with the historical average of revenue as a percentage of GDP.
- House and Senate passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution with protections against tax increases.
The full text of the letter is available here.
Letter Signers:
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1. Rep. Todd Akin
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36. Rep. Tom Graves
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71. Rep. Randy Neugebauer
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2. Rep. Justin Amash
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37. Rep. Tim Griffin
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72. Rep. Kristi Noem
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3. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett
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38. Rep. Paul Gosar
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73. Rep. Alan Nunnelee
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4. Rep. Joe Barton
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39. Rep. Frank Guinta
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74. Rep. Pete Olson
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5. Rep. Dan Benishek
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40. Rep. Ralph Hall
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75. Rep. Stephen Palazzo
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6. Rep. Rob Bishop
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41. Rep. Andy Harris
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76. Rep. Steve Pearce
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7. Rep. Marsha Blackburn
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42. Rep. Vicki Hartzler
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77. Rep. Mike Pence
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8. Rep. Kevin Brady
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43. Rep. Nan Hayworth
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78. Rep. Joe Pitts
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9. Rep. Paul Broun
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44. Rep. Tim Huelskamp
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79. Rep. Ted Poe
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10. Rep. Larry Bucshon
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45. Rep. Bill Huizenga
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80. Rep. Mike Pompeo
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11. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle
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46. Rep. Randy Hultgren
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81. Rep. Ben Quayle
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12. Rep. Dan Burton
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47. Rep. Bill Johnson
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82. Rep. Tom Reed
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13. Rep. John Campbell
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48. Rep. Sam Johnson
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83. Rep. Reid Ribble
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14. Rep. Steve Chabot
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49. Rep. Jim Jordan
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84. Rep. Scott Rigell
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15. Rep. Jason Chaffetz
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50. Rep. Mike Kelly
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85. Rep. Phil Roe
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16. Rep. Howard Coble
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51. Rep. Jack Kingston
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86. Rep. Todd Rokita
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17. Rep. Mike Coffman
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52. Rep. John Kline
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87. Rep. Dennis Ross
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18. Rep. Chip Cravaack
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53. Rep. Raul Labrador
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88. Rep. Ed Royce
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19. Rep. Rick Crawford
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54. Rep. Doug Lamborn
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89. Rep. Steve Scalise
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20. Rep. John Culberson
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55. Rep. Jeff Landry
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90. Rep. Robert Schilling
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21. Rep. Scott Desjarlais
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56. Rep. James Lankford
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91. Rep. Jean Schmidt
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22. Rep. Jeff Duncan
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57. Rep. Bob Latta
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92. Rep. Dave Schweikert
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23. Rep. Stephen Fincher
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58. Rep. Billy Long
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93. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner
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24. Rep. Jeff Flake
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59. Rep. Cynthia Lummis
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94. Rep. Steve Southerland
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25. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann
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60. Rep. Connie Mack
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95. Rep. Cliff Stearns
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26. Rep. Jeff Fleming
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61. Rep. Don Manzullo
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96. Rep. Steve Stivers
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27. Rep. Bill Flores
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62. Rep. Tom Marino
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97. Rep. Marlin Stutzman
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28. Rep. Randy Forbes
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63. Rep. Mike McCaul
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98. Rep. Scott Tipton
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29. Rep. Virginia Foxx
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64. Rep. Tom McClintock
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99. Rep. Tim Walberg
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30. Rep. Trent Franks
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65. Rep. Thad McCotter
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100. Rep. Joe Walsh
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31. Rep. Scott Garrett
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66. Rep. Patrick McHenry
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101. Rep. Allen West
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32. Rep. Bob Gibbs
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67. Rep. Gary Miller
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102. Rep. Joe Wilson
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33. Rep. Phil Gingrey
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68. Rep. Jeff Miller
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103. Rep. Kevin Yoder
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34. Rep. Trey Gowdy
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69. Rep. Mick Mulvaney
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35. Rep. Sam Graves
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70. Rep. Sue Myrick
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Support for the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan:
Wall Street Journal: Balancing Act
RedState: Cut, Cap, and Balance
American Conservative Union: Letter of Support
American Family Business Institute: Letter of Support
Americans for Limited Government: Radical Enough
Americans for Tax Reform: House Conservatives Recommend "Cut, Cap and Balance"
Citizens United: Letter of Support
Club for Growth: Letter of Support
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste: Letter of Support
Family Research Council: A Near-Debt Experience
FreedomWorks: Letter of Support
Heritage Action: RSC Sends Letter to House Republican Leadership
Let Freedom Ring: Letter of Support
Life & Liberty PAC: Support the Republican Study Committee
National Taxpayers Union: Letter of Support
