Vern Buchanan Asks Murray and Ryan for Open Budget Meetings

With a joint committee led by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., being launched to iron out $90 billion in budget differences between the Democratic Senate and the Republican House, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., continues to insist their meetings should be open to the public.

On Wednesday, Buchanan sent a letter to Murray and Ryan making his case:

I am writing to urge you to make all budget conference deliberations open to the public. The American people need to know the truth about our nations debt and the scope of our financial problems.

For too long, Republicans and Democrats in Washington have turned a blind eye to our countrys exploding debt. Federal spending has doubled in the past 12 years alone. This reckless pattern of borrowing and spending has placed the United States on the short list of seven industrialized countries whose debt exceeds its total economic output. The critical decisions made by your panel will go a long way toward shaping the future of our nation.

Unfortunately, as history indicates, too many significant legislative measures are written in the middle-of-the-night by a handful of members and then quickly passed into law before the American people even have a chance to see what the final version looks like, let alone determine how they feel about it. This is unacceptable.

Thats why it is so important for your committee to conduct its business under the watchful eye of the American people. They deserve to know the severity of Washingtons spending addiction.

My home state of Florida is known for having one of the toughest right-to-know laws in the country. Our Sunshine Law guards against back-room deals and secret negotiations by government officials.

I hope that you will follow Floridas lead and let the sun shine on the budget conference committee.