By Bailey/KPR
Murray, KY – U.S. Senator Rand Paul says Congress needs to make sacrifices if the super committee is to address debt savings. The 12-member panel has until November 23 to make 1.5 trillion dollars in cuts to the deficit over the next decade. If the committee agrees on a plan, it will be presented to Congress for an up-or-down vote by December 23; if it fails to come to an agreement, the legislation will trigger automatic across-the-board cuts. Paul says both parties will have to compromise on their most important principles if the panel is going to reduce the deficit. At the 48th annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast and Auction Paul said,
"Republicans need to admit that not every dollar spent on the military is sacred or well spent. Democrats at the same time need to admit that every dollar for welfare and entitlement programs is not sacred or well spent. Both sides will have to admit. We will both have to admit the debt is not the fault of one party."
Senator Patty Murray of Washington state and Congressman Jeb Hensarling of Texas met Wednesday to go over the logistics of creating the super committee. The group will create a website that could be launched before September to gather public input. By law, the bipartisan panel must meet by September 16.