Senator Warner joined WTOP radio this morning to talk about the ongoing Congressional budget negotiations, which continue this week as both the House and Senate debate how best to move forward. 

“I think we don’t need more taxes to grow government,” Senator Warner explained, “but we need to pay our bills and we have to pay down part of that $16 trillion debt.  What we did on New Years Eve got us about halfway there, but we’ve got to get additional revenue and additional, smarter cuts.” 

Senator Warner expressed optimism that the partisan bickering that has so far prevented a budget compromise had begun to give way.

“I was pretty frustrated six weeks ago.  I feel better now,” he told WTOP.  “I think the fact that the President reached out and had a very productive session with a number of Republican Senators, that he met with Republican House members yesterday, is a good sign.”

Senator Warner also emphasized the importance of looking forward rather than backwards as the budget negotiations progressed.

“I was at a bipartisan dinner last night,” he continued, “where we were talking through how we can get some new ideas into this debate, because we can’t simple re-debate the same old terms.” 

“So hope springs eternal,” concluded Senator Warner.  “The alternative is pretty grim.”

Senator Warner also spoke with listeners this morning on WRVA in Richmond and WINA in Charlottesville.