Washington, DC – Today, Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) made the following statement in response to the President’s FY2014 Budget.

“Our country faces great challenges, and meeting those challenges requires that we work together.  I welcome the President’s inclusion of reforms to Medicare and Social Security.  With more than 10,000 Baby Boomers becoming eligible for benefits each day, it is critical that the White House and Congress work together to protect and preserve these programs for current and future beneficiaries.  That is why the Committee will convene a series of hearings beginning next week to examine reforms supported by the President as well as other bipartisan solutions to help our nation’s seniors.

“I also welcome the President stepping forward on tax reform.  However, as our economy continues to struggle and millions of Americans have given up looking for work altogether, the President’s plan doesn’t truly fix our broken tax code.  In fact, while looking to help corporate America, the President’s plan does not address how complex, costly and unfair the tax code is for American families and small businesses.  If the President is willing to do tax reform for Wall Street, then he should be willing to do tax reform for Main Street.  Instead, the President chose to raise taxes again to fuel even more Washington spending.  Tax reform should not be about making people pay more; it should be about strengthening our economy.  

“I am most disappointed that the President’s budget never balances.  Independent economists have shown that when we clean up the tax code and get spending back under control, we can strengthen the economy and create up to 1 million jobs in the first year alone.  Those are the kinds of solutions we should focus on and work together to achieve.  The American people deserve real results.”

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