03.21.13

Sessions Comments After Senate Democrats Stunningly Oppose Balancing The Budget Through Any Means Whatsoever

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement after Senate Democrats voted against his motion to recommit the Murray budget to committee with instructions to find a way to balance the budget in 10 years. Only Sen. Joe Manchin joined with Republicans in support of balancing the federal budget. Sessions’ comment follows:

“Tonight the American people witnessed a remarkable and alarming event: the Senate’s Democrat majority declared they do not want to balance the budget, will not balance the budget, and will oppose any effort to balance the budget in any way. This is a sad day for America.

Debt is pulling down our economy now. Not tomorrow—now.

But tonight, the Senate’s majority party denied the American people the growth, jobs, and confidence a balanced budget would create. They denied our children a future free of crushing debt. They denied millions trapped in failed government programs the reforms they need and deserve.

It is wrong and unjust to continue borrowing money to enrich the bureaucracy at the expense of the people. Tonight, the Senate majority voted to do exactly that.”

BACKGROUND:
Sessions offered a motion to recommit the Murray budget to committee with instructions to balance in 10 years. There were no caveats to how this should be accomplished, meaning Senators were voting to accept or reject the very principle of balancing the federal budget within 10 years. Text of the motion follows:

Mr. Sessions moves to commit S. Con. Res. 8 back to the Committee on the Budget with instructions to report back no later than March 22, 2013 with such changes as may be necessary to achieve unified budget balance by fiscal year 2023.