Fiscal Cliff: Congressional Black Caucus Issues
Statement of Principles

By lauren victoria burke
Crew of 42
December 3, 2012

http://www.crewof42.com/whats-going-on/fiscal-cliff-caucus-issues-statement-of-principles/

    From the CBC: As we approach the end-of-year
    deadline to address key issues affecting our
    economy, the American people demand we take
    decisive action to avoid the so called "fiscal
    cliff." Strengthening our economy and getting
    our nation back on track will require tough
    choices, but one thing is clear-the path to
    fiscal sustainability must not be made on the
    backs of our nation's most vulnerable
    communities.

As President Obama and Congressional leaders
continue to negotiate ways to avoid the "fiscal cliff,"
the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) will adhere
to the principles below in consideration for their
support of any agreement.

    - $1.5 trillion in cuts have already been agreed
    upon through the spending caps in the Budget
    Control Act of 2011.

    - Bush-era tax cuts must not be extended for the
    wealthiest, top 2% of Americans must be a part of
    our overall path to fiscal solvency.

    - The CBC supports extending the middle-class
    Bush-era tax cuts, but we must be sure that they
    will not be paid for by later cuts to Social
    Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits.

    - Social Security does not contribute to our deficit
    and should be completely off the negotiating
    table. Additionally, the CBC will oppose any plan
    that changes the eligibility for Medicare or cuts
    benefits to Medicaid beneficiaries.

   - The Affordable Care Act (ACA) should be fully
   implemented. ACA does not add to the debt and
   must be protected from further cuts. Millions of
   Americans are already benefiting from health care
   reform and have the opportunity to gain access to
   affordable health insurance in 2014.

   - Emergency unemployment insurance must be
   extended. Every dollar spent on unemployment
   insurance generates $1.55 in economic activity.
   Two million workers are in danger of losing their
   emergency unemployment compensation if no
   action is taken by the end of the year. It is also
   critical that we protect the other tax credits that
   assist working families.

    - We have saved tens of billions of dollars from
    reducing waste, fraud, and abuse in the
    Department of Defense, and there remains
    potential for additional and significant cost
    savings with further improvements to oversight
    and management.

    - We must not ignore the ongoing jobs crisis. As
    we reduce deficits and debt, we must be sure to
    avoid premature austerity that could stall the
    recovery and must consider extending current
    policies and enacting new ones that create jobs
    and grow the economy.

Earlier this year, the Congressional Black Caucus
offered an effective, alternative budget that
addresses the sequester and fully pays for an
extension of the Bush-era Middle-class Tax Cuts,
without cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,
and the social safety net, while also ensuring that
we invest in our children, our communities, and our
economy.

___________________________________________

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