WASHINGTON — This Thursday night The Concord Coalition will honor 38 House members for their courage in voting for a bipartisan deficit reduction plan introduced by Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) and Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio).In addition to Cooper and LaTourette, the honorees are:
WASHINGTON — This Thursday night The Concord Coalition will honor 38 House members for their courage in voting for a bipartisan deficit reduction plan introduced by Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) and Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio).In addition to Cooper and LaTourette, the honorees are:
| Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) | Jim Himes (D-Conn.) | Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) |
| Charlie Bass (R-N.H.) | Tim Johnson (R-Ill.) | Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) |
| Dan Boren (D-Okla.) | Ron Kind (D-Wis.) | Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) |
| Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) | Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) | John Shimkus (R-Ill.) |
| Ann Marie Buerkle (R-N.Y.) | Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) | Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) |
| John Carney (D-Del.) | Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) | Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) |
| James Clyburn (D-S.C.) | Pat Meehan (R-Pa.) | Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) |
| Jim Costa (D-Calif.) | Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) | Mel Watt (D-N.C.) |
| Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) | Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) | Frank Wolf (R-Va.) |
| Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) | Tom Petri (R-Wis.) | Don Young (R-Alaska) |
| Bob Dold (R-Ill.) | Todd Platts (R-Pa.) | |
| Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) | Jared Polis (D-Colo.) | |
| Chris Gibson (R-N.Y) | Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) |
These 38 House members will receive the 2012 Paul E. Tsongas Economic Patriot Award at a dinner Thursday in Washington that will mark Concord’s 20th anniversary. Cooper and LaTourette will accept the award on behalf of all of the honorees, most of whom are expected to attend.
Their legislation was based on the recommendations of a bipartisan majority of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (the Simpson-Bowles commission). Cooper-LaTourette was the only budget plan to receive bipartisan support in the House this year.
“We are honoring Republican and Democratic House members who this year put the national interest above political partisanship,” said Robert L. Bixby, Concord’s executive director. “Instead of pursuing narrow agendas, they put everything on the table, made tough choices and called for shared sacrifice. Their plan could rein in projected deficits and put the United States on a more responsible and sustainable course – one that would protect our nation’s strength and shield future generations of Americans from crippling national debt.”
“This is what responsible budgeting is all about,” Bixby added. “It is also what political leadership is all about. We salute the courage it took for these 38 members of Congress to vote for this plan in the face of strong opposition from many congressional colleagues and a wide range of powerful special interests. We will need more such courage and leadership in the months and years ahead.”
The dinner will also feature a panel discussion on the nation’s fiscal challenges. The panel members will be Cooper, LaTourette, former Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.), former Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.), and Concord Coalition Executive Director Robert L. Bixby.
The dinner will be held at the Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington. Press coverage of the program, which will begin at 8 p.m., is welcome.
The Paul E. Tsongas Economic Patriot Award, named for one of Concord’s founding co-chairmen, honors those who have demonstrated a commitment to fiscal and generational responsibility. Over the years it has been given to individuals of varied backgrounds and political affiliations for their lasting contributions to America’s economic health.
WHO: The Concord Coalition
WHAT: Honoring 38 House Members at Concord’s 20th Anniversary Dinner
WHEN: Program begins at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20
WHERE: Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington
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The Concord Coalition is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility. Former U.S. Senators Warren B. Rudman (R-N.H.) and Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) serve as Concord’s co-chairs.
