With just over a week before the Super Committee's deadline, today U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC), Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), U.S. Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID), U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), and U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), lead a bipartisan, bicameral call urging the Super Committee to “go big.”

This bicameral effort represents the first time House and Senate Democrats and Republicans have come together on a large scale to announce their support for a comprehensive $4 trillion plan to reduce the deficit. House Members recently released a bipartisan letter with 102 signatures calling on the Super Committee to “go big,” following a similar bipartisan Senate letter signed by 45 Senators.                   

“Over the course of the next week, the 12 members of the Super Committee will have the rare opportunity to come up with the comprehensive, $4 trillion deficit reduction plan our nation needs to achieve long-term fiscal reform and bring stability back to the economy,” said U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC).  “The time is now for the Super Committee to be brave and go big. We are coming together as Democrats and Republicans from both chambers of Congress and across the political spectrum to let them know we have their backs.”

“Now that the deficit crisis is looming before us, there’s no more time for partisan finger pointing – and frankly, the American people no longer have the stomach for it,” said U.S. Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID). “No political party has a monopoly on failed policies. What Americans really want is for Republicans and Democrats to set aside their party labels and focus on what is best for the country.”

“Every independent and bipartisan analysis has concluded it will require about $4 trillion in debt reduction over ten years to responsibly address our fiscal challenge,” said Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). “Every analysis also concludes that you can't get there without a rational, balanced approach that puts everything on the table. As we've seen from the fiscal upheaval across Europe, you cannot fool the financial markets with smoke screens or half-measures. That's why we must aim higher and 'go bigger.'”   

“I urge our colleagues on the super committee to take note of the momentum today among senators and House members, Republicans and Democrats, elected officials and the American people,” said Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA). “To see the cost of doing nothing – or of pushing off action – to address America’s fiscal challenges, look no further than the crisis in Europe. World markets are looking to America to show leadership. Our failure to act in a major way means losing our role as the international leader on financial matters.”

“As Democrats and Republicans from across the political spectrum, and from both houses of Congress, we have come together to support the Joint Committee in its effort to reduce the deficit,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND).  “We want the panel to succeed.  We urge the committee to be bold, be brave, and to 'go big.’”

“We understand the pressures facing members of the Committee, and we want them to see that widespread and bipartisan support exists for larger deficit reductions,” said Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID). “There are already more than 40 Senators willing to embrace significant deficit-cutting proposals from the Gang of Six that will grow our economy by lowering tax rates, broadening the base and simplifying the tax code to make it flatter, fairer and more competitive.  We have some of the highest corporate tax rates in the world.  We are discouraging new economic activity and are at gridlock over spending cuts.  We don’t have to be.  We have bipartisan agreement to 'go big’ and find a solution to our debt crisis.”