Conservative Leaders to Congress: Oppose Any Budget Deal That Raises Spending Levels or Increases Revenue

As budget negotiations between the House and Senate continue, we write to urge Congress to oppose any legislation that increases spending above current law or raises new federal revenue.

According to reports, the House and Senate conference committee that was recently convened to negotiate the federal budget is considering a plan that would violate Congress’ promise on discretionary spending caps and increase federal revenue. Legislation that raises federal revenue and spending levels is unacceptable to conservatives and the majority of Americans and should be rejected by Congress.

Though conservatives support more spending restraint, the discretionary spending limits defined in the Budget Control Act represent a promise to the American people to marginally slow the growth of government. The budget conference committee represents an opportunity for Congress and President Obama to honor their bipartisan agreement; it is not a vehicle to break budget limits or increase revenue. Rather than searching for ways to abandon a bipartisan spending agreement, Congress should pass legislation that upholds the caps and then focus their energy on something productive, like stopping the train wreck that is Obamacare.

While many have expressed legitimate concerns about the nature of the spending limits, Congress has the ability to repurpose the BCA’s caps and limit other areas of discretionary spending as it deems prudent, such as protecting our national defense, without exceeding the $967 billion spending limit. Congress and the President have no excuse to violate their existing budget agreement. Conservatives cannot support any legislation that raises spending levels or increases revenue.

Sincerely,

The Honorable Edwin Meese III

Former Attorney General

President Ronald Reagan

The Honorable David McIntosh

Former Member of Congress
Indiana

Brent Bozell

Chairman

For America

Mike Needham

CEO

Heritage Action for America

Tim Phillips

President

Americans for Prosperity

Tony Perkins

President

Family Research Council

Colin Hanna

President

Let Freedom Ring

Erick Erickson

Editor-in-Chief

RedState

Jenny Beth Martin

Co-Founder

Tea Party Patriots

Matt Kibbe

President

FreedomWorks

Al Cardenas

Chairman

American Conservative Union

Amy Kremer

Chairman

Tea Party Express

David Bossie

President

Citizens United

Penny Nance

President

Concerned Women for America

Duane Parde

President

National Taxpayers Union

David Williams

President

Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Bill Walton

Chairman

Rappahannock Ventures LLC

The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell

President

Constitutional Congress, Inc.

Nathan Mehrens

President

Americans for Limited Government

Jim Ryun

Chairman

The Madison Project

The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr.

Former Domestic Advisor

President Ronald Reagan

The Honorable Alfred S. Regnery

Former Publisher

American Spectator

Jonathan Bydlak

President

Coalition to Reduce Spending

Daniel Garza

Executive Director

Libre Initiative

Evan Feinberg

President

Generation Opportunity