March 18, 2015

The Honorable Tom Price

Chairman
Committee on the Budget
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Price:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the worlds largest business federation, representing
the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as
state and local chambers of commerce, and dedicated to promoting, protecting, and defending
Americas free enterprise system, appreciates your proposed budget resolution, A Balanced
Budget for a Stronger America, which would establish the budget for fiscal year 2016.
This proposal recognizes the importance of restraining federal spending, correcting the
unsustainable growth path of entitlement spending, reducing federal budget deficits, containing
the growth of federal debt, and enacting comprehensive tax reformall goals shared by the
Chamber.
The proposal would balance the budget within 10 years without raising taxes through
$5.5 trillion in spending reductions, out of a base spending level of $48.6 trillion. The
Congressional Budget Office estimated the macroeconomic effects of the proposed deficit
reduction and concluded output per person would be 1.5 percent higher at the end of 10 years,
which in turn would reduce the budget deficit an additional $147 billion. Such budgetary savings
would move the budget from modest deficit to modest surplus by 2024.
The nation faces many challenging issues in budget policy that will require sustained
debate over many months and, in some cases, years. Over the long term, the budget is a blueprint
for restoring fiscal discipline by shrinking the size of government and debt compared to current
law.
This budget proposal marks an important step toward a more sensible, more sustainable,
pro-growth fiscal policy. The Chamber urges the Committee and the full House of
Representatives to debate the issues fully and then adopt a budget resolution on a timely basis.
The Chamber further urges the United States Senate likewise to meet its responsibility by
passing a budget addressing our long-term challenges. The Chamber looks forward to working

with Congress on the vital reforms to entitlements and our tax code necessary to get our fiscal
house in order.
Sincerely,

R. Bruce Josten
cc: Members of the Committee on the Budget