Reid Concedes Spending Cuts, ALG Calls for Senate Passage of House Continuing Resolution

March 10th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on the Senate rejection of competing continuing resolutions to keep the government operational for the remainder of the fiscal year:

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is finally conceding to cut spending after being embarrassed on the floor of the Senate by getting less votes for his proposal to only cut $6.2 billion than Senate Republicans got for theirs to cut $57 billion.

“The result was ironic because to date, Harry Reid and his Senate Democrat colleagues have been missing in action, not unlike their Wisconsin comrades who had holed up in Rockford, Illinois, to avoid a vote balancing that state’s budget. Our nation’s budget deficit crisis demands adult leadership, something that has been sorely lacking as the Reid-Pelosi Congress of last year never even tried to pass a budget, creating the current government shutdown threat.

“Harry Reid’s failure to do his job has led to the current stalemate and the potential government shutdown, a scenario he apparently favors considering his failure to also deliver enough votes for his preferred continuing resolution. It looks increasingly that Democrats are attempting to orchestrate a government shutdown, hoping to lay blame at the feet of Republicans, not unlike the 1995-96 shutdown.

“The fact is, however, that the House led by Republicans has done its job and passed legislation that avoids a shutdown. Now, it is time for the Senate to do its job, and cut spending. Failure to do so will leave both the blame for being fiscally irresponsible and shutting down the government at the feet of none other than Harry Reid.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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