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March 16, 2011 – Today, the United States Senate overwhelmingly passed a Sense of the Senate amendment authored by Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson to cut the budget of the United States Senate by 5 percent for the rest of the year.
“I’m pleased the goal of cutting spending has won such strong bipartisan support,” said Senator Nelson. “The message the Senate sends is clear: fiscal responsibility starts at home, and the Senate should cut its own budget by at least 5 percent. I’m also looking to join bipartisan efforts to reduce spending throughout the federal government.”
“When I’m home in Nebraska every weekend people often come up to me at the grocery store, hardware store and tell me they’re concerned about our national deficit and debt. They want Washington to cut spending and bring down the cloud of debt that hangs over our economic future,” Nelson added.
“As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee, I have been pursuing a 5 percent cut in this year’s budget for Congress and agencies and offices on Capitol Hill. We cut this budget a year ago, we’re cutting it this year and we’ll be back for further cuts next year. I’ve worked on a bipartisan basis with Senators Murkowski and Hoven,” said Nelson. “The example we offer can be a model for how all of Washington can cut spending. As Congress pursues comprehensive debt reduction, while conducting major military action on two fronts – all in the midst of a fragile economic recovery – Congress shouldn’t be exempt from tightening its own belt.
“I’m also looking to join bipartisan efforts to reduce spending throughout the federal government. Our motto…to paraphrase Harry Truman…should be `The Buck Shrinks Here,” said Nelson.
The text of Senator Nelson’s amendment follows:
It is the sense of the Senate that it supports reducing its budget by at least 5 percent. The Senate has made the findings that:
Finding that, Congress must pursue comprehensive deficit reduction,
Finding that, the nation is deeply involved in military action on two fronts
Finding that, Admiral Mullen has noted the most significant threat to national security is the national debt
Finding that, the nation is in fragile recovery from an economic downturn that has spanned two administrations
Finding that, the offices and agencies that serve Members of Congress must be reduced along with the rest of the budget
Finding that, in order to address the Nation's fiscal crisis, the Senate should lead by example and reduce its own legislative budget
It is the sense of the Senate, that it should lead by example and reduce the budget of the Senate by at least 5 percent.
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