WASHINGTON, DC - As Congress debates a plan to strengthen the economy and address the national debt, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) will travel to the White House tomorrow to meet with President Obama and fellow lawmakers to discuss a range of legislative issues.  Today, Reed issued the following statement:

"My first concern is jobs and economic growth, and I worry that too many in Washington are using our budget problems as an excuse for policies that won't create jobs and lead to economic expansion.

"It is no secret how we got here, and it didn't happen overnight.  The Bush Administration squandered a hard won surplus on two unfunded wars and tax cuts for the wealthiest that were never offset. 

"President Obama is responsibly bringing our troops home from Iraq and plans to start a drawdown from Afghanistan later this summer.  That could have a positive impact on reducing the deficit.  So would letting the Bush tax breaks for the wealthiest expire.  We need to reform the tax code to get rid of the expensive and wasteful loopholes and make it simpler for everyone.  We also need to take a closer look at defense spending. 

"What we don't need is to end Medicare as we know it and to drag Social Security into this discussion.  And we don't need more job cuts like the ones proposed in the House Republican-passed budget.   That's not what people want from their government.

"We can get our economy moving again and tackle the budget.  I took tough votes during the 1990s that helped turn the economy around and balanced the budget.  We can do it again.  And I look forward to sitting down with the President tomorrow to discuss these issues."