Chris Sununu: “I begin my remarks this morning by addressing the points made at the close of Senator Corker's remarks. The Senator…”

“I begin my remarks this morning by addressing the points made at the close of Senator Corker's remarks. The Senator talked about the need to look at some of our long-term budget problems--Social Security, Medicare, and even our tax structure. There are areas where we can see that the Tax Code is not as simple or straightforward as we want it to be, where we know there are imbalances in the Medicare program, and where we need to address how we are going to pay for future generations who will be retiring. These are tough and long-term important problems with which we need to deal. Senator Corker mentioned bipartisan legislation that I have cosponsored by Senators Gregg of New Hampshire and Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota to create a bipartisan commission to look hard at these issues. The result will not just be another report. Instead, it will actually prepare legislative recommendations that will be brought to Congress to get an up-or-down vote. Sometimes that kind of an approach is the best way of dealing with what appear to be intractable problems because such a structure can generate consensus and in some ways force Congress to take action, even if the short-term political issues might discourage action. I hope that this approach will be adopted. I hope it is an approach that will make an impact because, as I have spoken on the Senate floor and at home in New Hampshire, these are long-term issues that have to be addressed.”