This afternoon, Leader Pelosi announced her appointments to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction–Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn, Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Xavier Becerra and Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen:

The Joint Select Committee has a golden opportunity to take its discussions to the higher ground of America’s greatness and its values. It must meet the aspirations of the American people for success and keep America number one.

The thrust of the committee must be to grow an American prosperity enjoyed by all Americans. It must:

Focus on economic growth and job creation that reduces the deficit;

Make decisions regarding investments, cuts and revenues and their timing to stimulate growth while reducing the deficit; and

Increase demand by offering recommendations that ensure that wages grow with productivity and reduce America’s families’ dependence on credit.

The work of the Congress must go beyond the deliberations of the committee. Without waiting for the committee to complete its work, we should pass legislation for sustainable job creation. Congress should send to the President the long delayed highway and FAA bills, which generate hundreds of thousands of American jobs; and Congress should approve a national Infrastructure Bank to create jobs and improve our competitiveness.

We must achieve a ‘grand bargain’ that reduces the deficit by addressing our entire budget, while strengthening Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Our entire Caucus will work closely with these three appointees toward this goal, which is the goal of the American people.

Because the work of this committee will affect all Americans, I called last week for its deliberations to be transparent; the committee should conduct its proceedings in the open.

Bios:

James E. Clyburn
Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn, the third-ranking member of House Democratic Leadership, has years of experience on the Appropriations Committee, to which he is now key leadership liaison, and expertly represented House Democrats on Vice President Biden’s deficit commission. Clyburn, a consensus builder, is a vigorous spokesperson for jobs and economic development.

Xavier Becerra
Throughout his career, Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Xavier Becerra has placed the interests of America’s working families first. As a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, he has worked to extend opportunities for every American, ensure the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare, combat poverty, provide affordable health insurance to all, and advocate fiscal discipline. Becerra served on the Simpson-Bowles Commission.

Chris Van Hollen
Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen was a leader for House Democrats in negotiations on Vice President’s Biden’s deficit reduction committee and has a broad expertise of budgetary issues; this year, he has crafted a fiscally responsible budget that was supported by House Democrats. In addition, Congressman Van Hollen has served on the Ways and Means Committee.

Related: Pelosi Calls for Transparency on Joint Committee Deliberations»