September 6, 2017
Washington, DC
Congress faces numerous deadlines when they return to session in September. In addition to funding the government, providing relief for victims of Hurricane Harvey, and reauthorizing several major programs, they face a debt limit expiration.
Conservatives oppose any debt ceiling increase unless it includes major fiscal reforms that immediately put the country on a path to balance.
That these reforms are necessary is self-evident. The debt now stands at 77 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – the highest level since shortly after World War II. Last year, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the U.S. debt would balloon to 150 percent of economic output by 2047 unless tax and spending laws are changed. As Harvard economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff have concluded, a debt to GDP ratio of above 90 percent all but grinds economic growth to a halt.
The timing of this debt limit increase is particularly compelling given the previous progress conservatives have made on fiscal issues under a Democratic administration and Democratic Senate. The Budget Control Act – the most significant progress conservatives have made in decades – was passed as part of a debt limit negotiation with a Democrat president and a Democrat majority in the Senate.
With Republicans in unified control of the government this time around, settling for minor reforms – or, worse, for a debt ceiling increase with no reforms – would be a squandered opportunity.
Now is the time for Congress to cut the credit card. The debt ceiling should not be raised absent significant fiscal reforms that put the country on a path to balance. Any less would be a wasted opportunity to reform a fiscal system that is hurtling toward disaster.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Former Attorney General President Ronald Reagan |
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop Chairman, Conservative Action Project Former White House Advisor, President Ronald Reagan |
| The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
The Honorable Colin Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
| Adam Brandon President FreedomWorks |
David Bozell President ForAmerica |
| Diana Banister President and Partner Shirley & Banister Public Affairs |
The Honorable Jim DeMint U.S. Senate Former Member, South Carolina |
| Ed Corrigan Former Executive Director Senate Steering Committee |
Cleta Mitchell, Esq. |
| Alfred S. Regnery Chairman Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
The Honorable Tony Perkins MPA President, Family Research Council President, Council for National Policy |
| William L. Walton Chairman CNP Action, Inc. |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chief Assistant to President Reagan for Domestic Affairs |
| Lt. Gen. William G. “Jerry” Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
Tom Fitton President Judicial Watch, Inc. |
| Rebecca Hagelin Board of Directors, FamilyTalk Secretary, Council for National Policy |
The Honorable David McIntosh President Club for Growth |
| Lee A. Beaman CEO Beaman Automotive Group |
The Honorable James C. Miller III Budget Director President Ronald Reagan |
| Floyd Brown Chairman Western Center for Journalism |
The Honorable Belden Bell Co-Chair Heritage Legacy Society |
| James L. Martin Founders & Chairman 60 Plus Association |
Ali Akbar Senior Advisor Black Conservatives Fund |
| Martha Boneta Executive Vice President Citizens for the Republic |
Jim Backlin Vice President of Legislative Affairs Christian Coalition of America |
| William Pascoe Managing Partner Antietam Communications |
Richard Wright Owner R & S LLC |
| J. Christian Adams President Public Interest Legal Foundation |
Chuck Stetson CEO Stetson Family Office |
| Matt Mackowiak Executive Director Fight for Tomorrow |
Samuel B. Casey Managing Director & General Counsel Jubilee Campaign |
| Willes K. Lee President National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
The Honorable Diana Denman President Reagan Legacy Forum |
| Tim LeFever Chairman Capitol Resource Institute |
Don Woodsmall President Love Thru Truth, Inc. |
| Dan Weber Founder and CEO Association of Mature American Citizens |
Bob Carlstrom President The Carlstrom Group, LLC |
| C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
Christopher Malagisi Editor in Chief Conservative Book Club |
| Nancy Schulze Founder/Co-Chairman Republican Congressional Wives Speakers/Congressional Prayer Caucus Wives Council |
Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
| Anne Schlafly Cori Chairman Eagle Forum |
Brandon Wheeler Executive Director Freedom Research Foundation |
| Michael R. Long State Chairman NYS Conservative Party |
Kevin Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
| The Honorable Mica Mosbacher President Mosbacher Interests |
E.W. Jackson President STAND Foundation, Inc. |
| Bob Adams President Revive America PAC |
Judson Phillips Founder Tea Party Nation |
| The Honorable Tim G. Echols Public Service Commissioner State of Georgia |
Sal Russo Founder and Chief Strategist Tea Party Express |
| Melvin Adams Former President Renewanation |
The Honorable Ken Cuccinelli II President Senate Conservatives Fund |
| Tom Schatz President Citizens Against Government Waste |
Peter J. Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
| Tim Wildmon President American Family Association |
J. Keet Lewis Co-Founder Lewis Group Intl |
| Roxanne Phillips Executive Committee CNP |
David A. Martin Health Care Entrepreneur |
| The Honorable Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. Washington Bureau Chief Infowars.com |
| The Honorable Terrence M. Scanlon Retired CEO/President Capital Research Center |
Ralph A Rebandt II Senior Pastor Oakland Hills Community Church |
| Jenny Beth Martin Co-Founder & President Tea Party Patriots |
Robert K. Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
| Neil Siefring Vice President Hilltop Advocacy, LLC |
Allen Hebert Chairman American-Chinese Fellowship of Houston |
| Mario H. Lopez President Hispanic Leadership Fund |
Tricia Erickson President Angel Pictures amp&; Publicity, Inc. |
| David Williams President Taxpayers Protection Alliance |
Jeff Hunt Director Centennial Institute |
| Joseph A. Morris Partner Morris & De La Rosa |
Nick Logan Founder Cornerstone Payment Systems |
| Anthony Saliba Principle Saliba Venture Management LLC |
The Honorable Charles J. Cooper Former Assistant Attorney General, Ronald Reagan Administration Cooper & Kirk |
| Susan A. Carleson Chairman/ CEO American Civil Rights Union |
Theodore Baehr Publisher MOVIEGUIDE ® |
| Dean Nelson Chairman Frederick Douglass Foundation |
Penna Dexter Co-host Point of View Radio |
| Andresen Blom Executive Director Grassroot Hawaii Action |
Lew Uhler President National Tax Limitation Committee |
| Donna Hearne Chief Executive Officer The Constitutional Coalition |
Tim Macy Chairman Gun Owners of America |
| James O’Hickey CNP |
John F. Tate President America’s Liberty PAC |
| John McCardell President America’s Liberty Committee |
The Honorable Mike Spence Founding President Conservative Republicans of California |
| Elaine Donnelly President Center for Military Readiness |
Haley E. Martin President The Martin Foundation |
| Rod D. Martin Founder & CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Sherri R. Martin Executive Vice President The Martin Organization, Inc. |
| Evelio Silvera Campaign for the American Future |
Nicholas Stehle Campaign for the American Future |
| Shawn A. Mitchell National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Jerry Melvin President Florida Republican Assembly |
| James C. Dobson Ph.D. Founder & President Family Talk |
Gerrye Johnston Founder/CEO Women for Democracy in America, Inc. |
| Lou Cordia President, Cordia & Associates Executive Director, President Reagan’s Alumni Association |
Richard A. Viguerie Chairman Conservative HQ |
| David N. Bossie President Citizens United |
Barry Meguiar President Revival Outside the Walls |
| Stephen Elliott President Grassfire |
Ginni Thomas President Liberty Consulting |
| James N. Clymer Former National Chairman Constitution Party National Committee |
Penny Young Nance CEO and President Concerned Women for America |
| Eunie Smith President Eagle Forum |
Signatures updated: September 7
(All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only)
