CLYBURN RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT’S SPEECH ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

WASHINGTON, DC—Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn today commented on President Obama’s speech laying out a framework for shared prosperity and shared fiscal responsibility.

“I think the President laid out a prudent plan for reducing our debt and getting our fiscal house in order without risking job creation or economic growth. By keeping annual domestic spending low, finding additional savings in our defense budget, reducing health care spending and restructuring the tax code we can achieve $4 trillion in deficit reduction without putting the burden on those who can least afford it.

“By contrast, the Republican budget ends Medicare as we know it, forcing seniors to pay nearly double their current health care costs, slashes nursing home aid and makes college less affordable. But at the same time protects tax subsidies for companies that ship jobs overseas, maintains tax giveaways to the big oil companies and makes permanent tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, to the tune of $1 trillion. These are unfair and misplaced priorities.

“I support the President’s vision for living within our means, sharing sacrifice and increasing opportunity for all Americans. I am hopeful that we can come together in a bipartisan way to make this vision a reality and make America a more perfect union.”