As members of the Joint Deficit Reduction Committee met Thursday to make opening remarks and consider proposed committee rules, hecklers outside the hearing room raised their voices high.
The 12-member committee was dedicated to their looming task at hand - to reduce the federal deficits by $1.5 trillion by Thanksgiving - but a group of protestors outside the hearing room caused the meeting to come to a temporary halt as they shouted their imminent need for jobs.
In addition to the protestors outside the hearing room, three protestors garbed in bold, pink outfits touted “Tax the Rich!” signs and sat front and the center in the audience of the committee hearing room.
As protestors raised their voices louder, committee co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) instructed staffers to close the door and for committee members to speak louder.
And that is exactly what they did.
As each committee member addressed the need to reduce the deficit and create jobs for Americans, they all agreed that compromise would be a critical component of the committee’s task.
“A successful final product that comes from this committee must include compromises on both sides,” committee co-chair Senator Patty Murray declared.
“If this committee fails, it won’t be for lack of ideas. It will be for lack of political will,” Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md.) stated. “We need to bite the bullet and put our country first. Compromise is not a dirty word.”
The next committee meeting is set for Tuesday, September 13.