Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today released the text of a letter the organization sent yesterday to Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) reacting to statements the senator made recently in the press regarding the nomination of former congressman Jim Nussle for Director of the Office of Management and Budget:

           “On behalf of the more than 1.2 million members and supporters of Citizens Against Government Waste, including more than 3,000 in the state of North Dakota, I am writing to protest your efforts to hold up consideration of President Bush’s nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Jim Nussle, in return for more wasteful spending by Congress.

            The June 28 Washington Post reported that you will not even set a time for a hearing until the President complies with Congress’s demands to spend more taxpayer dollars than he requested in his budget.  This is outrageous.  In a time of deficits and a looming financial crisis with respect to entitlement programs, Congress should spend less, not more and we applaud the President for attempting to hold the line on spending.

            You are quoted in the Post that you want to “conclude the business of the country in a serious and responsible way.”  If by that you mean the budget resolution agreed to by Congress, which dramatically raises taxes, fails to cut a single program, and does nothing to rein in the explosive growth of entitlements, then taxpayers would beg to differ with that characterization.

            Jim Nussle has worked well with both the Democrats on the House Budget Committee and the Senate Budget Committee.  As the Post article pointed out, current House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.), called Jim Nussle “a fair and honorable chairman” and has offered to testify on his behalf.

            The President deserves an opportunity to present his choice for OMB Director to the American people.  I ask that you expedite Budget Committee consideration of Jim Nussle’s appointment as Director of OMB and allow him to be confirmed by the Senate.”

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.