October 18, 2011

Manchin to Super Committee: Use the Commonsense Ideas of West Virginians to Reduce Deficit

Manchin outlines West Virginians’ commonsense ideas for $4 trillion in deficit reduction, urges colleagues to ‘go big’ with recommendations

Washington, D.C. – Highlighting the commonsense ideas he’s heard from West Virginians, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) urged members of the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to “go big” and reduce the nation’s deficit by $4 trillion to restore confidence and do what is right for the nation’s finances. 

“As all of you know, our nation faces a death spiral of debt. The debt crisis facing our country has reached epic proportions, and as our nation’s leaders, we must work together to find bipartisan, commonsense solutions that restore fiscal responsibility while protecting vital programs critical to our seniors, veterans and children,” Senator Manchin wrote. “While common ground may seem nearly impossible to find in Washington these days, I strongly believe we can do what is fiscally right for the nation.” 

Members of the so-called super committee have a legal mandate to find $1.5 trillion in reductions, but Senator Manchin urged his colleagues to “go big” by finding $4 trillion in reductions – a level many economists recommend to put the country on the right fiscal path. This approach was also advocated by the President’s bipartisan debt commission, led by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles. 

“The desire to ‘go big’ is not lost on my constituents in West Virginia, who worry every day about the debts their children and grandchildren already carry for this nation,” Senator Manchin said in his letter to the super committee. “As one of them said in a letter to me, ‘The Simpson-Bowles Commission made a lot of recommendations. I agree with all of them. Their recommendations, every one, need an up or down vote. It is disgusting to me as a taxpayer to see all of this work done, but then no action taken on the recommendations.’ In addition, other constituents shared many good commonsense ideas that I believe can help guide you as you complete this difficult task.”

Senator Manchin also wrote that the state of West Virginia was able to put its finances in order, and suggested that the super committee follow his state’s example. 

“When I was first elected Governor of West Virginia, my state faced similar fiscal challenges. Many doubted whether we could or should take the steps necessary to restore the fiscal health of our state,” Senator Manchin wrote. “As difficult as our decisions were, they not only reduced our debt and improved our state's credit rating, they also restored the public's confidence in the future of our state and our economy. As a result, we not only got our debt under control, we were able to grow our economy.” 

Senator Manchin included a list of recommendations from West Virginians in his letter, which is included below.

October 14, 2011 

The Honorable Patty Murray and The Honorable Jeb Hensarling 
Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
Senate Hart Office Building
Suite 825C
Washington, D.C. 20510

To the Members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, 

As all of you know, our nation faces a death spiral of debt. The debt crisis facing our country has reached epic proportions, and as our nation’s leaders, we must work together to find bipartisan, commonsense solutions that restore fiscal responsibility while protecting vital programs critical to our seniors, veterans and children. While common ground may seem nearly impossible to find in Washington these days, I strongly believe we can do what is fiscally right for the nation. 

As members of this committee, you have a unique opportunity to find consensus that will not only restore the public's confidence in our government, but will help put our economy back on the right track. Specifically put, while you have a legal mandate to find $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction, I urge you – for the sake of the nation we all love – to “go big” and aim to find a total of $4 trillion in reductions that will show we are serious about cutting our long-term debt. To restore confidence and achieve the economic benefits that I believe will follow, I will stand firmly behind you as you work to find these larger reductions.  

When I was first elected Governor of West Virginia, my state faced similar fiscal challenges. Many doubted whether we could or should take the steps necessary to restore the fiscal health of our state. As difficult as our decisions were, they not only reduced our debt and improved our state's credit rating, they also restored the public's confidence in the future of our state and our economy. As a result, we not only got our debt under control, we were able to grow our economy.  

I also know that the desire to “go big” is supported by dozens of other Senators – equally split between Democrats and Republicans –who feel as strongly as I do that now is the time to act. I am proud to be a part of this bipartisan group, whose ideas are informed by the work of the President’s debt commission led by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles. In fact, those of us who support the Simpson-Bowles commission are members of the only true bipartisan group I have seen since I became a Senator. It is a group that started as bipartisan and has only continued to grow. 

The desire to “go big” is not lost on my constituents in West Virginia, who worry every day about the debts their children and grandchildren already carry for this nation. As one of them said in a letter to me, “The Simpson-Bowles Commission made a lot of recommendations. I agree with all of them. Their recommendations, every one, need an up or down vote. It is disgusting to me as a taxpayer to see all of this work done, but then no action taken on the recommendations.” In addition, other constituents shared many good commonsense ideas that I believe can help guide you as you complete this difficult task. 

Below is a sampling of the best ideas that West Virginians gave me:

  • Ensure agencies are operating as efficiently as possible to prevent waste, fraud and abuse government-wide, and encourage citizens to report instances of fraud and be rewarded for doing so. (The GAO reported last year that $125 billion was wasted.);
  • Rely on the hard work of the Simpson-Bowles Commission as a framework for success;
  • Reduce overall funding for Overseas Contingency Operations (which provides funding for nation-building in Afghanistan and Iraq) and aid for infrastructure and governance projects worldwide;
  • Close corporate tax loopholes and reduce subsidies for oil companies;
  • Make our tax system more fair by eliminating unnecessary deductions and reducing overall rates;
  • Protect funding for federal infrastructure programs that create American jobs;
  • Take serious steps to safeguard the long-term solvency of Social Security and other entitlement programs, while keeping our promises to our seniors and veterans. 

Let me end by saying that I stand with my constituents and my Senate colleagues who believe that your committee should strive for a responsible deficit-reduction package, one that not only cuts our deficits and debt, but will ensure the fiscal future of this great nation. 

I sincerely hope you will take my views, as well the commonsense ideas of the people of West Virginia, into consideration as you continue your important work.  

God bless you all,  

Joe Manchin III 
United States Senator

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