This is the accessible text file for CG speech number GAO-07-1272CG entitled 'Announcing the Introduction of a Bill to Establish a Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action' which was released on September 28, 2007. This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this document to Webmaster@gao.gov. This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. Presentation by: The Honorable David M. Walker: Comptroller General of the United States: Announcing the Introduction of a Bill to Establish a Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action: Remarks at a Press Conference: September 18, 2007: GAO-07-1272CG: I would like to thank and commend Chairman Conrad and Senator Gregg for their leadership in connection with the issue of fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity. As I have noted on numerous occasions, our nation is on an imprudent and unsustainable fiscal path. Tough choices are required in order to help ensue that our future is better than our past. The sooner we make these choices the better because time is working against us. During the past two years, I have traveled to 23 states as part of the Fiscal Wake-up Tour. During the Tour, it has become clear that the American people are starved for two things from their elected officials - truth and leadership. I am here today because Senators Conrad and Gregg are trying to address this need. I'm pleased to say that several other members on both sides of the political aisle and on both ends of Capitol Hill are taking steps to answer this call by proposing bills to accomplish similar objectives and by also putting "everything on the table." I was especially pleased to see that the "Task Force" that would be created by Senator Conrad's and Gregg's legislation was informed by GAO's work on the key elements necessary for any task force or commission to be successful. For example, the commission would have a statutory basis, be bipartisan, involve leaders from both the executive and legislative branch, and would require a super-majority vote for any recommendations to be sent to the President and the Congress. As a result, the Conrad-Gregg proposal provides one potential means to achieve an objective we all should share--takings steps to make the tough choices necessary to Keep America Great, and to help make sure that our country's, children's and grandchildren's future is better than our past. Hopefully, this and other related bills will be given serious and timely consideration by the Congress and the President. I would like to thank and commend Chairman Conrad and Senator Gregg for their leadership in connection with the issue of fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity. As I have noted on numerous occasions, our nation is on an imprudent and unsustainable fiscal path. Tough choices are required in order to help ensue that our future is better than our past. The sooner we make these choices the better because time is working against us. During the past two years, I have traveled to 23 states as part of the Fiscal Wake-up Tour. During the Tour, it has become clear that the American people are starved for two things from their elected officials - truth and leadership. I am here today because Senators Conrad and Gregg are trying to address this need. I'm pleased to say that several other members on both sides of the political aisle and on both ends of Capitol Hill are taking steps to answer this call by proposing bills to accomplish similar objectives and by also putting "everything on the table." I was especially pleased to see that the "Task Force" that would be created by Senator Conrad's and Gregg's legislation was informed by GAO's work on the key elements necessary for any task force or commission to be successful. For example, the commission would have a statutory basis, be bipartisan, involve leaders from both the executive and legislative branch, and would require a super-majority vote for any recommendations to be sent to the President and the Congress. As a result, the Conrad-Gregg proposal provides one potential means to achieve an objective we all should share--takings steps to make the tough choices necessary to Keep America Great, and to help make sure that our country's, children's and grandchildren's future is better than our past. Hopefully, this and other related bills will be given serious and timely consideration by the Congress and the President. Thank you Senator Conrad and Gregg for your leadership and thank you for the opportunity to join the both of you today. [End of section] On the Web: Web site: [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cghome.htm]: Contact: Susan Becker, Acting Manager, Public Affairs, Beckers@gao.gov: (202) 512-4800: U.S. Government Accountability Office: 441 G Street NW, Room 7149: Washington, D.C. 20548: Copyright: This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. The published product may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately.