The bipartisan chairs of the two most recent national commissions on deficit reduction praised the framework of the Gang of Six proposal today.

One statement came from the Committee on a Responsible Federal Budget:

“This group has been working to develop a plan to fix the debt problem, and in so doing, has found where the landmines lie and where the areas of agreement are,” said MacGuineas. “It is an incredible accomplishment and can provide a path forward. If enough lawmakers are willing to step up to the plate along with the Gang, it would renew our chances of getting a ‘grand bargain’ sufficient to reassure markets that we can put our fiscal house in order and to reassure the public that Washington is still fit to govern. This is how Washington is supposed to work—let’s hope it does.”

Gang of Six Offers a Path Forward

In addition, Former Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici and Former White House Budget Director Alice Rivlin put out this statement with the Bipartisan Policy Center:

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement by former Senator Pete Domenici and Dr. Alice Rivlin, Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Debt Reduction Task Force, about the ongoing talks by members of the Senate Gang of Six:

“Reports that the original Senate Gang of Six has reassembled, and added Senator Lamar Alexander to the team, are good news for everyone who hopes for a significant reduction in projected debts and deficits of the federal government.

“We admire these Senators for having the courage to propose a serious, bipartisan plan. Their proposal, like the recommendations of our own Task Force at the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Bowles-Simpson Commission, recognizes that all parts of the budget must contribute to any long-term solution, including defense spending, tax expenditures and entitlements.

“Time is of the essence. The August 2 ‘drop-dead date’ for the extension of the federal debt ceiling is two weeks away. We hope that this plan leads to agreement by the president and both houses of Congress. It’s time for all members of both parties to put the good of the country ahead of ideology and return our nation to a fiscally responsible path.”