Blue Dogs Endorse Bipartisan Simpson-Bowles Amendment

Furthering their bipartisan efforts to address the nation's ongoing fiscal crisis head on, the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition has formally endorsed the Schrader-Wolf-Cooper-Gibson Amendment to H.R. 444, the Require a PLAN D Act, which is scheduled for a vote on the House floor tomorrow.

The only bipartisan amendment would add a finding supporting the President's use of the Simpson-Bowles framework as the basis for his budget submission to Congress. The framework calls for a comprehensive approach to reducing our nation's long-term debt and deficits.

"The Blue Dogs have long understood that to get anything of substance done in this partisan Congress we must reach across the aisle and find common ground with our moderate Republican counterparts," said Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., Co-chair for Communications. "The bipartisan amendment I have introduced with Mr. Cooper asks the President to heed the advice of his Debt Commission and take an all-of-the-above approach in getting our long-term cost drivers under control, promoting economic growth and providing certainty for our nation's businesses to grow and create jobs."

"This is the only bipartisan amendment offered, and I'm glad the Blue Dogs are leading the way in endorsing it," said Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., Co-chair for Policy. "We should fix the debt in a bipartisan manner. Simpson-Bowles is the best way to do so."