WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Mike Lee, today joined with colleagues, 44 in all, in sending a letter to President Obama that underscores the need for any deficit reduction deal to ensure that the people’s elected representatives will continue to have a say over the nation’s debt limit. The Obama Administration’s initial offer in fiscal cliff negotiations gave the president unilateral power to raise the debt limit without any congressional oversight.
In the letter, the senators tell President Obama that “nearly every significant deficit reduction law of the past 27 years has been linked to a debt limit debate. For Congress to surrender its control over the debt limit would be to permanently surrender what has long provided the best opportunity to enact bipartisan deficit reduction legislation.”
In addition to Hatch, the letter was signed by Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., John Boozman, R-Ariz., Scott Brown, R-Mass., Richard Burr, R-N.C., Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Daniel Coats, R-Ind., Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Bob Corker, R-Tenn., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, John Hoeven, R-N.D., Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, James Inhofe, R-Okla., Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., Mike Johanns, R-Nev., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Mark Kirk, R-Il., Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., Mike Lee, R-Utah, John McCain, R-Ariz., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Lisa Murkowski, R-Ark., Rand Paul, R-Ky., James Risch, R-Idaho, Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, John Thune, R-S.D., Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., David Vitter, R-La., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Click here to see a copy of the signed letter, with full text: Dec. 5, 2012 Debt Limit Letter to Obama 44 Congressmen signatures.
Submitted by: Office of Sen. Orrin Hatch
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