Kent Conrad: “I rise in support of Joshua Bolten as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and to urge Mr. Bolten to do…”

“I rise in support of Joshua Bolten as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and to urge Mr. Bolten to do everything within his power to help put the Federal budget back on sound footing. The position of OMB Director is always one of the most demanding posts in our Government, but it is especially so right now. The tax cuts pushed through by the President over the last 2 rac{1}{2} years, combined with the continuing economic slowdown and increased spending to respond to the September 11 terrorist attacks and prosecute the military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, have pushed the budget deep into deficit. And despite the fact that we desperately need to get our fiscal house in order to be ready for the imminent retirement of the baby-boom population, this administration and its allies in Congress have not yet accepted that the policies they have advocated are leading us in the wrong direction. I support the nomination of Joshua Bolten as OMB Director because I believe he is a very capable and honorable man, with a distinguished record both in public service--including service as a Senate staffer-- and in the private sector.”