Sen. Warner speaks out about long-term fiscal challenges

WASHINGTON – Amid reports of a tentative, short-term deal to extend the debt ceiling and government spending until mid-December, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget and Finance committees, delivered a floor speech today about the longer-term fiscal challenges which still face the nation. Warner, a former business executive and Virginia governor, urged his colleagues to avoid fiscal gimmicks we’ve seen before and to work for comprehensive, bipartisan solutions.

“Fiscal discipline should not depend on who sits in the White House. Fiscal discipline also should not depend on who controls the Congress,” said Sen. Warner in a speech on the Senate floor. “And the longer we wait to address our fiscal issues, the problem only gets worse, and we become more limited in the tools available to solve the problem.”

Video of Sen. Warner’s speech on the Senate floor.