Budget Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20015
Dear Representative:
On behalf of our 3 million members and the 50 million students they serve, we urge you to VOTE NO during today’s markup on these bills:
- Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 (H.R. 5779). Based on a flawed concept that has been tried and not worked, this bill would vastly increase human suffering. For example, due to caps and cuts imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011, funding for essential education programs has declined by nearly $14 billion (after adjusting for inflation) over the last dozen years. We fear that H.R. 5779 could become a back-door way of further slashing non-defense discretionary programs for the most vulnerable, as well as Social Security and Medicare benefits.
- Fiscal State of the Nation Act (H.R. 6952). This bill would provide no additional information to inform congressional decisions. Instead, it requires an annual, public presentation before a joint session of Congress on the Comptroller General’s audited financial statements, setting the stage for yet more partisan bickering, posturing, and fiscal brinksmanship.
- Debt-to-GDP Transparency and Stabilization Act (H.R. 6957). This bill is unnecessary and overly mechanistic. Congress can acquire the data it would provide by other means. Moreover, it could mandate cuts in health, education, and other social programs when we know from experience that just the opposite is needed—for example, increased spending to address a recession or national emergency like the COVID pandemic.
Perhaps most disturbing, all three bills focus almost entirely on one side of the budget equation. We strongly urge you to consider the entire picture—spending AND revenue—especially when it comes to Social Security and Medicare. For example, the $168,600 cap on earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax could be lifted or eliminated to fulfill America’s promises to seniors.
For all of the reasons, we urge you to VOTE NO on H.R. 5779, H.R. 6952, and H.R. 6957.
Sincerely,
Marc Egan
Director of Government Relations
National Education Association
