Politics & Government

Meehan Calls for New Revenue, Spending Cuts

The newly re-elected Republican and others from both parties meet with the leaders of Obama's long-ignored Debt Commission.

In another day of political posturing on Capitol Hill, Democrats and Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA7,) met with the two men whose groundbreaking report on how to fix the nation's debt crisis has been largely ignored by President Obama, the politician who commissioned it.

With the election over and the so-called "fiscal cliff" of big tax increases and spending cuts looming on January 1 the political rhetoric has heated up on Capitol Hill but no real solutions have yet come up for serious consideration on the floor of the U.S. House, where spending bills originate.

Meehan's office issued the following press release about the Seventh District Congressman's meeting with Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles.

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Meehan's statement indicates he will support "new revenues."

Simpson and Bowles led a commission assembled by President Obama to recommend ways to reduce the growing national debt. The President has essentially ignored the Commission's recommendations so far.

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WASHINGTON – Today (Wednesday November 28) U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (PA-07) attended a bipartisan meeting with Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson and others with the Fix the Debt Coalition to discuss the fiscal cliff - the dramatic budget cuts combined with stifling tax increases on nearly every American slated to take place on January 1, 2013. The group also discussed ways Republicans and Democrats can work together to avoid the fiscal cliff and strengthen our economy.

Former Senator Simpson and Mr. Bowles, President Clinton’s former Chief of Staff, co-chaired President Obama’s debt commission.

“The only way that we will solve the enormous challenge before us is to put partisanship aside and work together to make real progress for the American people,” said Meehan. “I was one of 38 House members to support the Simpson-Bowles budget amendment, the only bipartisan budget proposal, which relies on spending restraint and new revenues to put our fiscal house in order. I also supported putting increased revenue on the table when I signed a letter with 100 of my colleagues urging the super committee to ‘go big’ on a debt deal.”

Meehan said he hopes President Obama will respond to the Republicans’ proposal of increased revenues and pursue the balanced approach he says he supports. If an agreement is not reached, the fiscal cliff will mean the largest tax hike in American history, noting that it will cost 700,000 small business jobs, according to independent accounting firm Ernst and Young. Taxes will go up on the middle-class and the poorest Americans. College students, parents, families saving for college, seniors living on retirement savings will all face higher taxes. The average family will pay $4,100 more in taxes.

“I remain committed to working with Democrats and Republicans, as well as Senator Simpson and Mr. Bowles, to avoid the fiscal cliff and finally overcome the enormous challenges facing our country and middle-class families,” said Meehan.


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