(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Congressman Dennis Moore (Third District-KS) joined the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition in asking President Bush to call an emergency bipartisan budget summit to address the nation’s added fiscal burden in the wake of reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Region.

“We owe it to the American people to act responsibly by sitting down together and devising a serious plan to keep America from going even deeper in debt,” said Moore in the letter. “We must also assure the country that every dime of their money is being spent appropriately – in the Gulf Region and throughout the federal government.”

Thirty-one Blue Dogs – moderate and conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives – joined Moore in signing the letter to President Bush. Moore has long expressed concern over the mounting U.S. debt and is particularly troubled by our growing dependence on foreign governments to finance our debt. Earlier this year, Moore and the Blue Dogs offered a 12 Step Plan that would help our nation’s deficit spending that required, among other things, all federal agencies pass clean audits, a balanced budget, and the setting aside of a rainy day fund to be used in the event of a natural disaster.

“Today, our nation’s long term fiscal security is growing even bleaker with the addition of billions of dollars in emergency supplemental funds needed to rebuild the Gulf Region,” the letter said. “As such, members of the Blue Dog Coalition urge you to immediately call for an emergency bipartisan budget summit to get our nation’s fiscal house in order.” The Blue Dogs letter adds that the Coalition, “believes that the United States should not be forced to borrow funds form foreign nations to finance our reconstruction efforts.”

The thirty-two Blue Dogs signing the letter include: Joe Baca (CA), John Barrow (GA), Marion Berry (AR), Sanford Bishop (GA), Dan Boren (OK), Allen Boyd (FL), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Ed Case (HI), Ben Chandler (KY), Jim Cooper (TN), Jim Costa (CA), Bud Cramer (AL), Lincoln Davis (TN), Harold Ford (TN), Jane Harman (CA), Stephanie Herseth (SD), Tim Holden (PA), Steve Israel (NY), Jim Matheson (UT), Mike McIntyre (NC), Mike Michaud (ME), Collin Peterson (MN), Earl Pomeroy (ND), Mike Ross (AR), John Salazar (CO), Loretta Sanchez (CA), Adam Schiff (CA), David Scott (GA), John Tanner (TN), Gene Taylor (MS), Mike Thompson (CA).