Letter to the Honorable Bill Nelson, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, United States' Senate, and John Hoeven, Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations, United States' Senate

Letter

Dear Chairman Nelson and Ranking Member Hoeven:

During a time of record deficits when families and businesses are tightening their belts, we in Congress have a responsibility to do the same. As your committee looks for ways to cut additional spending from this year's budget, I strongly urge you to cut Congress's budget as well.

While we work to bolster our economic recovery, we have also have a responsibility to reduce deficits and take steps to lower our national debt. This will require spending restraint across government and, regrettably, painful cuts to important programs. We in Congress must do our part, too, by accepting cuts to our administrative budgets. Though the savings from these cuts will not solve our fiscal problems, it is important for Congress to lead by example and share in the sacrifices we will ask families in Delaware and across the country to make."

As New Castle County Executive, I balanced our county's budget during the recession by making difficult choices and cutting funding to programs I truly believed were beneficial to county residents. As part of that effort, I cut the county's administrative budget and required all county departments to share in a reduction of our operating budget, affecting all of our county administrative workers. It was not what we would have preferred to do in an ideal situation, but in difficult financial times everyone must pitch in and do what is necessary. The county employees understood this, and I know that the hardworking women and men who work as staff in the United States Senate, including my own office, will accept this as well.

I look forward to working with you and the rest of our colleagues to find additional ways to cut costs and achieve meaningful deficit reduction as we continue to move forward with the budget process.

Sincerely,

Christopher A. Coons
United States Senator

Source