November 14,2012

Press Contact:

Julia Lawless, Antonia Ferrier, 202.224.4515

Hatch on President’s Comments on Fiscal Cliff

Utah Senator Says, “A reasonable solution to the fiscal cliff is before us, but it cannot include hitting these small businesses who are the heart and soul of our nation, our communities and our economic future.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after the President spoke about the fiscal cliff at a presidential news conference:

“I was pleased to hear the President say he’s open to compromise – that’s a step in the right direction.  But I was taken aback when he said that the options on the table are to either drive over the fiscal cliff or raise taxes on the top two marginal tax rates by up to 24 percent, hitting nearly 1 million small businesses and costing 700,000 jobs.  I certainly hope that’s not the case, because on the very day that the President met with big business, there are almost 1 million small businesses worried about what would happen to them if their tax rates shoot up.  That isn’t fair or right.  A reasonable solution to the fiscal cliff is before us, but it cannot include hitting these small businesses who are the heart and soul of our nation, our communities and our economic future.  A week past the election, it’s time for the President to put forward a real concrete and balanced plan that includes real, lasting entitlement reform so we can confront our debt crisis once and for all.”

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