Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) today issued the following statement after House and Senate negotiators announced a deal that would fund the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2011 while cutting spending by approximately $39 billion ($78.5 billion below the President’s 2011 budget proposal):

       “I’m pleased that an agreement has been reached, and delighted that President Obama and Leader Reid are finally extolling the virtues of spending cuts.  We’ve finally changed the national dialogue from “how much to spend” to “how much to cut.”
 
       “For too long, Americans were forced to hold their breath -- waiting to see if their lives and financial security would be disrupted because a few leaders in Washington couldn’t accept a government that spends within its means.  These are cuts that could and should have been on the table last year, when the former leadership of the House and Senate failed to pass a budget on time, even though they controlled big majorities, and created the situation we face today.
 
       “Our troops, seniors, civil servants, and other Americans who rely on a functioning government deserve better.  They deserve certainty from their government, and that’s what this deal will deliver.  It will keep the government operating, ensure our troops receive their paychecks, and take an important – albeit small -- first step toward a more balanced budget.  And now that we’re nearly finished with last year’s business, we can focus on the real task at hand – cutting trillions, not billions.  I look forward to a serious debate about a fiscal year 2012 budget that sets us on a long-term path out of debt, forces government to spend more wisely, and fosters economic growth so American businesses can start creating jobs again.  That is, after all, what this is all about.”

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