Tester: Nation needs bipartisan effort to cut spending and debt, reform tax code

Senator joins effort with bipartisan resolution pledging comprehensive plan

(U.S. SENATE) – Senator Jon Tester today called on his colleagues from both political parties to work together to cut spending and the national debt and reform the tax code.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Tester joined a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing a resolution to put the Senate on record with a pledge to rein in the national debt and reform the tax code.

The resolution pledged a bipartisan debate and consideration of a comprehensive plan to reduce deficits and cut the national debt by the end of 2011.

“This is hands down the most important issue that the Senate will deal with over the next few years,” Tester told his colleagues.  “Putting our nation’s economy on a sustainable path is the key to future opportunity and growth.  The truth is that we’re not going to be able to get anywhere unless we trust each other.  This process isn’t going to be pleasant for anyone, but we can only be successful if we have a bipartisan effort.”

The language of the bipartisan resolution appears below:

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the nation’s debt and spending, as characterized by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, are alarming and on an unsustainable projected path;

Whereas our tax code is in need of significant and comprehensive reform;

Whereas the way forward to overcome these challenges to strengthen our economy for future generations is in a bi-partisan manner:  now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that —

1.    we understand the American people want Congress and the Executive Branch to address the issue of unsustainable deficits and debt in a bi-partisan way and we are committed to focusing on a civil policy-oriented discussion;

2.    we will devise a comprehensive plan for addressing the fiscal concerns facing our nation to be considered by the United States Senate by the end of the calendar year 2011;

3.    the fundamental cornerstones of this plan will be tax reform, spending restraint, and debt and deficit reduction.

Video of Tester’s Senate floor speech is available HERE.

Tester, an outspoken advocate for cutting spending and reining in the national debt, personally trimmed $6 billion from a law recently passed by Congress.  He also voted against and helped kill two Congressional pay raises, and passed legislation in the Senate that would permanently repeal automatic pay raises for Congress.