(Alexandria,VA) -- Today, a coalition of leading fiscally-conservative organizations sent a letter to Capitol Hill, urging Congress to respect the $109 billion level of scheduled spending reductions to occur in 2013 under the Budget Control Act’s “sequester” mechanism. The letter stressed that while there are many ways to reach the spending-cut target, reversing course now would send an unmistakable and unacceptable message to the American people. The statement was initiated by the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU).
Voicing concern over any effort to undermine needed budget restraint, the letter was clear:
“With the federal government facing yet another year of projected deficit spending exceeding $1 trillion, Congress must keep in place the $109 billion in sequestration spending restraint scheduled for 2013. Delaying this action will only make it harder to get our fiscal house in order, in the process weakening our economy, saddling future generations with debt, and further undermining Congress’s credibility to lead.”
While acknowledging the defense department’s large share of the sequester’s budget reductions, and noting that “it may be prudent to revise the actual composition of the cuts,” the coalition did emphasize some of its members have worked to identify defense and homeland security programs that can and should be trimmed.
The letter also warned against resorting to tax hikes:
“Congress should reject any attempts to cut less than $109 billion or worse, to replace spending cuts with tax increases. The only responsible way forward for long-term prosperity is to immediately cut spending and to enact serious budgetary and entitlement reforms. This will require making the tough decisions you were elected to make. “
Twenty-two organizations signed the letter, including: The National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, American Commitment, Americans for Limited Government, Center for Freedom and Prosperity, Club for Growth, Coalition to Reduce Spending, Commonwealth Foundation, Cost of Government Center, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Downsize DC, Hispanic Leadership Fund, FreedomWorks, National Center for Public Policy Research, R Street Institute, Rio Grande Foundation, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Tea Party WDC, and Young Americans for Liberty.
NTU is a nonprofit, nonpartisan citizen group working for lower taxes, limited government, and economic freedom at all levels. A full copy of the coalition letter is available HERE.