Reps. Chuck Fleischmann, Scott DesJarlais praise Paul Ryan budget plan
Republican congressmen from the Chattanooga area applauded a budget plan put forward by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., earlier this week.
The budget proposal is the second put forward by the former vice presidential candidate in recent years. The 10-year plan, titled The Path to Prosperity: A Responsible, Balanced Budget, offers to cut the more than $4.6 trillion in projected spending without raising taxes.
Along with privatizing elements of Medicare and repealing the vast majority of programs put in place by the Affordable Care Act, the plan would leave upper-income tax increases put in place by last year's fiscal cliff deal intact and trim budgets for the nation's domestic agencies.
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said the plan would "set our nation on a course toward balance," a course he said Americans deserved.
"This budget repairs Medicare to ensure its sustainability, paves the way for much-needed comprehensive tax reform and, in a serious way, addresses our debt problems," Fleischmann said. "While the White House and Senate Democrats have both indicated their budgets will not balance, the House budget will balance within 10 years."
Rep. Scott DesJarlais said in a news release the budget contained "common sense spending cuts and reforms" and protected entitlements.
"Most importantly, our budget keeps the promises we made to our seniors by modernizing Medicare so that it remains sustainable for current retirees, while ensuring future generations will also benefit from this important program," DesJarlais said.
Senate Democrats are also putting forward their own budget plan.
The House will likely vote on Ryan's budget next week.
