The  Honorable  Mark  Udall   The  Honorable  Michael  Bennet   United  States  Senate   United  States  Senate  

Hart  Office  Building  Suite  SH-­‐328     458  Russell  Senate  Office  Building   Washington,  D.C.  20510   Washington,  DC  20515     The  Honorable  Mike  Coffman   The  Honorable  Doug  Lamborn   U.S.  House  of  Representatives   U.S.  House  of  Representatives   1222  Longworth  House  Office  Building   437  Cannon  House  Office  Building   Washington,  D.C.  20515     Washington  D.C.  20515       The  Honorable  Diana  DeGette   The  Honorable  Ed  Perlmutter   Chief  Deputy  Whip   U.S.  House  of  Representatives   U.S.  House  of  Representatives   1221  Longworth  House  Office  Building   2335  Rayburn  House  Office  Building   Washington  D.C.  20515   Washington  D.C.  20515       The  Honorable  Jared  Polis   The  Honorable  Cory  Gardner   U.S.  House  of  Representatives   U.S.  House  of  Representatives   501  Cannon  HOB   213  Cannon  House  Office  Building   Washington  D.C.  20515   Washington,  DC  20515       The  Honorable  Scott  Tipton     U.S.  House  of  Representatives     218  Cannon  House  Office  Building     Washington  DC  20515     December  3,  2012     Dear  Senator  Bennet,  Senator  Udall,  Congressman  Coffman,  Congresswoman  DeGette,   Congressman  Gardner,  Congressman  Lamborn,  Congressman  Perlmutter,  Congressman   Polis,  and  Congressman  Tipton,     We  are  writing  on  behalf  of  the  Fix  the  Debt's  Colorado  Fiscal  Leadership  Council,  a   bipartisan  group  of  Colorado  business  leaders.    We  believe  the  time  has  come  for  Congress   -­‐  in  conjunction  with  President  Obama  -­‐  to  take  the  steps  necessary  during  the  lame  duck   

session  that  will  lead  to  a  comprehensive  agreement  for  medium-­‐  and  long-­‐term  deficit  and   debt  reduction  for  the  United  States.     The  Colorado  Fiscal  Leadership  Council  is  comprised  of  individuals  from  a  variety  of  social,   economic,  and  political  perspectives,  united  in  a  common  belief  that  America's  ever-­‐ increasing  federal  debt  is  the  most  serious  economic  and  national  security  threat  facing  the   United  States  today.    We  must  come  together  as  a  nation  to  fix  it  immediately.     The  Colorado  Fiscal  Leadership  Council  does  not  represent  one  ideological  perspective  or   political  party;  we  have  coalesced  around  the  following  core  principles  and  respectfully  ask   that  you  do  the  same:     ü Policymakers  should  acknowledge  that  our  growing  debt  is  a  serious  threat  to  the   economic  well-­‐being  and  security  of  the  United  States.   ü It  is  urgent  and  essential  that  we  put  in  place  a  plan  to  fix  America’s  debt.    An  effect   plan  must  stabilize  the  debt  as  a  share  of  the  economy  and  put  it  on  a  downward   path.   ü This  plan  should  be  enacted  now  but  implemented  gradually  to  protect  the  fragile   economic  recovery  and  to  give  Americans  time  to  prepare  for  the  changes  in  the   federal  budget.   ü In  order  to  develop  a  fiscal  plan  that  can  succeed  both  financially  and  politically,  it   must  be  bipartisan  and  reforms  to  all  areas  of  the  budget  should  be  included.    The   plan  should:   o Reform  Medicare  and  Medicaid,  improve  efficiency  in  the  overall  health  care   system  ,  and  limit  future  cost  growth;   o Strengthen  Social  Security,  so  that  it  is  solvent  and  will  be  there  for  future   beneficiaries;  and   o Include  comprehensive  and  pro-­‐growth  tax  reform  that  lowers  rates,  raises   revenues  and  reduces  the  deficit.   ü The  recommendations  of  the  bipartisan  Simpson-­‐Bowles  Commission  and  other   recent  bipartisan  efforts,  which  saved  $4  trillion  and  address  all  parts  of  the  budget,   provide  an  effective  framework  for  such  a  plan.   ü The  plan  should  be  conducive  to  long-­‐term  economic  growth,  protect  the   vulnerable,  include  credible  enforcement  mechanisms  to  ensure  that  debt  reduction   is  achieved,  and  leave  future  generations  better  off.     We  recognize  that  achieving  a  comprehensive  agreement  before  the  end  of  the  year  may  be   unrealistic;  we  also  believe  that  going  over  the  "fiscal  cliff"  is  not  an  option  and  that   solutions  that  only  serve  to  "kick  the  can  down  the  road"  are  unacceptable.    Debt  and  deficit   negotiations  must  occur  in  good  faith  and  not  with  eyes  cast  toward  the  next  election  cycle.     We  are  not  interested  in  fixing  blame  for  the  current  debt/deficit  environment;  we  are   interested  in  finding  solutions  to  it.    This  must  be  about  compromise  in  the  name  of  the   greater  good.     

We  urge  you  at  this  dire  time  to  demonstrate  leadership  and  courage;  send  a  message  to  all   Americans  -­‐  and  to  democracies  around  the  globe  -­‐  that  we  can  control  our  debt,  meet  our   financial  obligations,  and  care  for  our  most  vulnerable  citizens.         Ours  is  an  impressively-­‐cohesive  delegation  and  we  commend  each  of  you  for  your   devotion  and  public  service  to  your  communities,  Colorado  and  the  United  States.    We   know  you,  as  a  group,  are  in  a  position  to  demonstrate  leadership  -­‐  not  only  to  your   respective  parties  but  to  other  delegations  as  well.      We  are  confident  you  will  meet  this   challenge.     Respectfully  submitted,     The  Colorado  Fiscal  Leadership  Council     Bruce  Alexander  -­‐  Vectra  Bank   Phil  Anschutz  -­‐  The  Anschutz  Corporation   Fred  Barrett  –  Bill  Barrett  Corporation   Barbara  Baumann  -­‐  Cross  Creek  Energy  Corporation   Tony  Best  -­‐  SM  Energy   Buck  Blessing  -­‐  Griffis/Blessing   Bob  Coombe  –  University  of  Denver   Robert  Boswell  -­‐  Laramie  Energy   Katie  Cattanach  -­‐  INVESCO  Private  Capital  (Ret.)   Rob  Cohen  -­‐  IMA  Financial  Group,  Inc.   Peter  Dea  -­‐  Cirque  Resources  LP   Tami  Door  -­‐  Downtown  Denver  Partnership   Cole  Finegan  -­‐  Hogan  Lovells   John  Freyer  -­‐  Land  Title  Company   Michael  Fordyce  -­‐  Craig  Hospital   Charlie  Gallagher  -­‐  Gallagher  Enterprises   Ken  Gart  -­‐  Gart  Companies   Steve  Halstedt  -­‐  Centennial  Ventures   Pat  Hamill  -­‐  Oakwood  Homes   Fred  Hamilton  -­‐  The  Hamilton  Companies   Dale  Harris  -­‐  Davis,  Graham  &  Stubbs   Larissa  Herda  –  TW  Telecom   Dave  Hoover  –  Ball  Corporation  (Ret.)   John  Ikard  -­‐  1st  Bank   Doug  Jones  –  The  Jones  Realty  Group   Tom  Jorden  –  Cimarex  Energy   Rob  Katz  -­‐  Vail  Resorts   Gail  Klapper  -­‐  The  Klapper  Firm   Buz  Koelbel  -­‐  Koelbel,  Inc.   Donna  Lynne  –  Kaiser  Permanente     Steve  Meyer  –  Shaw  Construction   Larry  Mizel  -­‐  MDC  Holdings,  Inc.   

John  Mork  -­‐  Energy  Corporation  of  America   Zack  Neumeyer  -­‐  Sage  Hospitality   Michael  O'Shaughnessy  -­‐  Lario  Oil  &  Gas   Kate  Paul  -­‐  Delta  Dental  Plan  of  Colorado   Lynn  Peterson  –  Kodiak  Oil  &  Gas   Blair  Richardson  -­‐  Bow  River  Capital   Dan  Ritchie  -­‐  Denver  Center  for  the  Performing  Arts   Jay  Seaton  -­‐  Grand  Junction  Daily  Sentinel   Dick  Shaw  -­‐  Little  Colorado   David  Siegel  -­‐  Frontier  Airlines   Mark  Smith  –  East  West  Partners   George  Solich  -­‐  Energy  IV   George  Sparks  -­‐  Denver  Museum  of  Nature  and  Science   Gary  Stewart  -­‐  Melange  International  LLC   Fred  Taylor  -­‐  Northstar  Investment  Advisors   Kent  Thiry  -­‐  Davita  Inc.   Jill  Tiefenthaler  –  Colorado  College   Tim  Travis  -­‐  Eaton  Metal  Products   Mark  Turnage  –  Op  Sec  Security  Technologies   Lee  White  -­‐  George  K.  Baum  &  Co.   Barth  Whitham  -­‐  Enduring  Resources   Wayne  Williamson  -­‐  Plexus  Capital  LLC       cc:   President  of  the  United  States  Barack  Obama     The  Honorable  Harry  Reid,  Senate  Majority  Leader     The  Honorable  Mitch  McConnell,  Senate  Minority  Leader     The  Honorable  John  Boehner,  Speaker  of  the  House     The  Honorable  Eric  Cantor,  House  Majority  Leader     The  Honorable  Nancy  Pelosi,  House  Minority  Leader     The  Honorable  Timothy  Geithner,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury     The  Honorable  Lamar  Alexander,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Saxby  Chambliss,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Tom  Coburn,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Kent  Conrad,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Mike  Crapo,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Dick  Durbin,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Mike  Johanns,  United  State  Senate     The  Honorable  Mark  Warner,  United  States  Senate     The  Honorable  Alan  Simpson     The  Honorable  Erskine  Bowles