Crapo Sponsors Bill To Force Action To Reduce Spending

Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is co-sponsoring new legislation that would create a bipartisan task force to study and propose ways to reduce federal spending and the burgeoning national deficit. Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, is one of 25 original co-sponsors backing the legislation that was introduced today. The Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action Act of 2009 is being sponsored by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota) and Committee Ranking Member Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire).

"With our national debt exploding to levels not seen since World War II and health care entitlements and Social Security facing financial failure, now is the time for a serious and bipartisan discussion on reducing our debt and deficit," Crapo said.

If approved by Congress, the Task Force would consist of 18 voting members from the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, ten Democrats and eight Republicans; and hold meetings next year on spending and debt issues. Language in the bill dictates the Secretary of the Treasury and another Administration official would be appointed by the White House to the Task Force.

"Three-quarters of the panel must agree on the serious recommendations to Congress and the President about fiscal imbalance and those ideas will be made over the coming year," Crapo said. "These suggestions may become the basis for legislation which will address our fiscal problems. It is an important step to meet in a bipartisan manner with select leaders of the Legislative and Executive Branches of our federal government to begin talks that result in concrete action to get our federal spending and debt under control."