Crapo Named an Inaugural â??Fiscal Heroâ??

Washington, D.C.  - The national Campaign to Fix the Debt has named Idaho Senator Mike Crapo a "Fiscal Hero" for "work to improve the nation's fiscal situation."  This is the first time the organization seeking federal fiscal responsibility has issued such awards.

The Campaign to Fix the Debt says it issued the recognition to Member of Congress who have "distinguished themselves by taking fiscally responsible votes, pushing their party leaders to make debt a priority, leading bipartisan efforts to work through policy options to fix the debt, using their town hall meetings to engage and educate constituents, delivering floor speeches to raise awareness about the issue, advocating to keep tough choices on the table, and introducing legislation to improve the nation's fiscal position."

Crapo served on the President's Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, voting to approve a plan to bring spending under control.  When that plan failed to win enough votes, Crapo began working with a bipartisan group of Senators known as the Gang of Six to bring the commission's ideas before Congress.

"These elected officials have recognized that we will need to take a comprehensive approach to address the core drivers of the debt, such as entitlement reform and tax reform, to put it on a downward path in the long-term and allow the economy to thrive. Given that there is much more to be done to confront the nation's debt challenges, it is important that the work of those who focus on these issues is recognized," the group said on its website at http://www.fixthedebt.com

"It is truly an honor to be one of the first to receive this recognition from a group as vital to our national security as the Campaign to Fix the Debt," Crapo said.  "A bipartisan, bi-cameral effort stretching across the public and private sectors is needed to bring the gravity of our $17 trillion-and-growing national debt to the forefront for immediate action."

Joining Crapo in the Senate as initial recipients of the "Fiscal Hero" award are:  Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Thomas Carper (D-Delaware), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Dan Coats (R-Indiana), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Jeff Flake (R-Arizona).  Eleven U.S. House members were also selected, including Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson and House Speaker John Boehner.

Crapo has brought board members and co-chairs of the Campaign to Fix the Debt to Idaho for public discussions.  They include co-founder Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.  Crapo also brought fellow Gang of Six member Senator Mark Warner of Virginia to Idaho as part of a roundtable hosted by the McClure Center for Public Policy at the University of Idaho.