Berry Receives Appointment to House Budget Committee

Today the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi appointed me to serve on the House Budget Committee for the 110th Congress. Although I serve on the exclusive House Appropriations Committee, the Speaker traditionally chooses three appropriators to sit on the House Budget Committee and help with the entire budget process.

This is an unexpected and great honor to serve on both the Appropriations and Budget Committees. I am deeply concerned about the fiscal state of this country and am fully committed to helping this Congress get its finances in order. We need to work hard to pass responsible budgets that do not jeopardize the economic security of this country.

This appointment will give me the chance to play a key role in managing the annual federal budget. The committee’s work begins in early February when the President submits his budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year 2008. The committee will then hold a series of hearings to produce an annual budget resolution to guide federal spending for the coming year.

As a member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, I am a longstanding critic of deficit spending and continue to advocate for a balanced budget. This appointment will help me promote pay-as-you-go budget rules that prevent Congress from indulging in reckless spending.