Blue Dog Statements on Statutory PAYGO

Leading members of the Blue Dog Coalition issued the following statements today after a press conference with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on the need to reenact statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO).

"Earlier this year, we stood with President Obama at the White House as he announced his unequivocal support for statutory PAYGO. It was the first piece of legislation he sent to Congress; now it's time we all work together – House, Senate and Administration – to bring it to fruition," said Representative Jim Matheson (D-UT), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications. "The Blue Dogs are prepared to make some tough decisions in the coming days to make sure we take this necessary first step to putting our country back on a path to fiscal responsibility."

"Statutory PAYGO is critical to curbing our nation's structural deficits that were set in place over several years of reckless economic policy," said Representative John Tanner (D-TN), co-founder of the Blue Dog Coalition and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. "There is no more important policy tool to address a systemic debt being handed to our children and grandchildren."

"We have worked for years to enact statutory PAYGO into law. This is our opportunity to accomplish that goal, putting our country back on the path to long-term deficit reduction and spending reform," said Representative Baron Hill (D-IN), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy.

"Statutory PAYGO has the support of the President, the support of House leadership, and passed the House with a strong majority earlier this year. Most importantly, the idea that you should spend within your means has the strong support of the American people who understand that we need to get our fiscal house in order. Now is the time for Congress to make the tough budgeting decisions that families across the country make every day," said Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration.

"We must put constraints on federal spending to limit the amount of government debt we pass on to our children," said Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC), Blue Dog Whip. "Without statutory PAYGO, nothing stops Congress from continuing on its wild spending spree at a time when most American families must make hard choices in order to balance their checkbooks."

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