26 Sep Key Opportunity for Budget Process Reform in Budget and Appropriations, Government Reform

The following is a statement from G. William Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former Senate Budget Committee staff director, to the Joint Select Committee for Budget and Appropriations Process Reform:

“We are encouraged by the constructive hearings and deliberations held by the members of the committee, despite the heated political environment. This cooperation could lead to overdue progress on reforming the federal budget process to improve government operations and fiscal responsibility.”

“However, the committee still has work to do. It must quickly come to bipartisan, consensus recommendations to meet its reporting deadline of November 30. With little time left on the congressional calendar before this deadline, negotiations must accelerate soon for the committee to succeed.”

“As the committee well knows, opportunities to reform the budget process do not come around often. Members ought to put aside their partisan differences and issue consensus recommendations that improve the budget process regardless of which party holds power in Congress.”