Blue Dogs Endorse Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution

WASHINGTON —The Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats on Wednesday endorsed H.Con. Res. 44, also known as the Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution. 

Introduced by Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., the concurrent resolution would establish a joint hearing of the House and Senate budget committees to receive an update from the comptroller general of the United States regarding the audited financial statement of the executive branch.

Since its introduction in July, the resolution has gained 106 cosponsors, including 56 Democrats and 50 Republicans, according to GovTrack.

Concurrent resolutions are often introduced in the Congress to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. 

House Democratic leaders plan to consider the resolution on the House floor this week as an outcome of the recent negotiation tied to a previous vote increasing the debt ceiling.

In announcing the Blue Dog’s endorsement, Rep. Ed Case, the group’s co-chair for policy, said “Fiscal responsibility is a founding Blue Dog principle, and numerous recent polls have shown a strong bipartisan majority of the American people agree with us and are concerned about the fiscal future of this nation.”

“Deficits and debt matter as they both present long-term risks to our economy and our national security. This resolution will ensure members have a clear and concise annual report on the fiscal state of our nation,” he said. 

“This resolution not only shows the American people that Congress cares about fiscal responsibility, but it will also help us legislate with more information and in a more responsible way. We are proud to endorse this resolution, and thank Rep. Kathleen Rice for her leadership in getting this done,” Case said.

Under the terms of the resolution, the joint meeting of the House and Senate budget committees would be open to all members of Congress. 

In addition, the presentation would take place within 45 business days of issuance of the financial report to ensure lawmakers receive the information in an accurate and timely manner.Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue.