Senator Warner was elected in part to bring a business-like approach to government, just like he did as Governor of Virginia. As a member of the Budget Committee, Senator Warner is focused on reducing the growing budget deficit and reducing waste through reforms in government programs and spending. He devoted his maiden floor speech on fiscal responsibility, and has spent much of his time on the Budget Committee working to increase performance measurements to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. In October 2009, he was tapped to chair the Budget Committee's Task Force on Government Performance, which will examine the federal government’s management framework and identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs and services.
Senator Warner's Progress:
- In March 2009, in his first speech on the Senate floor, Senator Warner discussed the need for greater transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility throughout the federal budget process.
- In October 2009, Senator Warner was selected to chair the Budget Committee's Bipartisan Task Force on Government Performance. Click here to learn more about the task force.
- In January 2010, Senator Warner co-sponsored legislation to create a bipartisan fiscal task force to tackle federal budget spending and deficits. In an op-ed published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, he wrote that he supported the creation of the commission because "legislative deal-making too often allows parochial and political considerations to trump the national interest."
- In June 2010, Senator Warner and Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) began hosting bipartisan meetings to educate themselves and other members of Congress about deficit reduction and tax reform. On December 20, 2010 the Senators announced they will introduce a bill early next year based on the report from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, in order to "get the ball rolling" on tackling the debt.You can read more about their work here.