Pass the BBA Releases Presidential Pledge to Balance the Budget

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Feb 08, 2011, 10:45 ET

PHOENIX, Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Pass the Balanced Budget Amendment (Pass the BBA) announced that it has sent every known or potential Presidential candidate a copy of their new pledge, the text of which reads:

I, __________________________, hereby pledge to the people of the United States upon my election to President of the United States in 2012, to submit a balanced budget to Congress every fiscal year and to hold Congress accountable to passing a balanced budget that caps federal spending at 20 percent or less of our nation's gross domestic product.

"As Presidential candidates court primary supporters, we know that they will be asked over and over if they will commit to balancing the budget every year or abdicate their responsibility as President Obama has done. Pass the BBA is making it simple for them, we're giving them a pledge to sign that states that they are for a balanced budget, that they will present one to Congress and that they expect Congress to cap spending at 20% of GDP. If Presidential candidates can't commit to this, we hope that primary voters will think twice about committing to them. It's just that simple: we can't afford another President who will allow spending to spiral and the debt to increase," said Ken Blackwell, National Chairman of Pass the BBA.

As Presidential candidates sign the pledge, Pass the BBA will publicly thank them for siding with taxpayers over special spending interests. Pass the BBA will also remind voters which candidates have refused to sign the pledge. Pass the BBA is working with state legislatures to pass resolutions supporting a BBA, such as the resolution recently introduced in Utah by State Rep. Carl Wimmer (R-Herriman). Other resolutions are in the works in SC, GA, MO, OH, AZ, MT, ME, VA and FL. As resolutions pass at the state level, recalcitrant Members of Congress will be urged (repeatedly if necessary) to follow the will of the voters in their states. Pass the BBA has planned media campaigns in key states to augment their petition gathering and postcard efforts.

Several House Members of Congress have introduced BBA bills, and more are expected to be introduced in the upcoming months. Pass the BBA has supported efforts that balance the budget through spending cuts, require a supermajority vote in each chamber to raise taxes or increase debt, require the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress, and hold a vote by October 1, 2011. Pass the BBA's model language was drafted by their Honorary Chairman Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and can be read here: http://www.passthebba.com/amendment/.

Phoenix-based Pass the BBA has emerged as the leading advocate for a BBA. Pass the BBA is an "outside the Beltway" non-partisan, grassroots movement actively gathering 5,000 to 10,000 voter signatures in all 435 congressional districts demanding fiscal accountability from their leaders. The Hon. Ken Blackwell and former Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.

PasstheBBA.com

SOURCE Pass the Balanced Budget Amendment