Diverse Voices Line Up Behind the Campaign to Fix the Debt

Groups Representing Latinos, Young Professionals, National Parks, Women, and Minority-Owned Businesses Echo National Campaign's Call for Bipartisan, Comprehensive Deal to Avert Cliff, Bring Down Debt

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Campaign to Fix the Debt announced five new partners, each representing a broad swath of America and each displaying its commitment to a comprehensive, bipartisan agreement that will avert the "fiscal cliff" and begin bending down the unsustainable trajectory of the U.S. national debt. These partner organizations are the Minority Business Roundtable, the Puerto Rican Coalition, Women Impacting Public Policy, Gen Next, and the National Parks Conservation Association.

"CEOs of America's small, minority and women companies have joined Campaign to Fix the Debt to urge the President and Congressional leaders to stand up for them and pass legislation in this lame-duck session to avert the 'fiscal cliff' crisis. That means reprioritizing their commitment to fairer taxes, reforming the tax code, reducing regulatory barriers and cutting wasteful government spending," said Roger Campos, President and CEO of the Minority Business Roundtable.

The business groups' participation with the Campaign reflects the fact that falling off the fiscal cliff would be profoundly damaging to small business and start-ups, for whom policy and economic certainty is vital in order to attract funding and new customers. As such, the Campaign to Fix the Debt has amassed more than 2,500 small businesses – at least 50 in each state – under its Small Business Leadership Council.

The Campaign is also raising awareness of how the fiscal cliff and the out-of-control national debt are affecting communities of every economic status. Going off the cliff would raise federal income taxes on people in all tax brackets, and it would curtail important programs that benefit working families, education funding, and other services upon which people of all income levels rely.

"The Hispanic community cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while our elected leaders play a game of political brinksmanship with our economic future. There is simply too much at stake," said Rafael Fantauzzi, president and CEO of the National Puerto Rican Coalition. "This is why I am supporting the non-partisan Campaign to Fix the Debt."

Added Barbara Kasoff, president of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP): "As a leader in the women's business community, which is greatly concerned with this critical issue, WIPP was compelled to join the Campaign to Fix the Debt. We believe nothing is more important than a strong economy, and we view the exploding national debt as an impediment to current and future growth. We applaud the bipartisan nature of the Coalition and its realistic approach to solving this problem."

The Campaign makes clear that averting the cliff isn't enough; our leaders in Washington must come to a comprehensive, bipartisan agreement to stabilize and begin drawing down our debt as a share of the economy, lest we pass along our bills to future generations.

"Future generations stand to suffer most if our unchecked national debt is not dealt with in a responsible, balanced and comprehensive fashion soon," said Michael Davidson, President of Gen Next. "We all say we want a better future, but now it's time to do something about it. The Campaign to Fix the Debt is one of the few organizations putting pressure where it's needed, so we're honored to join them in calling on Congress and the President to tackle this issue."

The new voices demanding our elected leaders avert the cliff and address the debt illustrate the diversity of public services that would be negatively affected by continued inaction by our elected leaders.

"The current fiscal situation is jeopardizing our national parks and the communities, businesses and jobs that depend on them. Without a genuinely balanced deal on the budget, we face the prospect of continuing cuts, closed parks and park facilities, and disappearing rangers," said Thomas Kiernan, President of National Parks Conservation Association. "Hundreds of local communities and millions of Americans benefit from the federal government's small investment in national parks, which is so central to preserving our natural and cultural treasures. It is time for a grand deal that addresses the fundamentals that are exploding our debt, instead of mindless and never-ending cuts to the things that are not, like job-producing, heritage-protecting investments in national parks."

The Campaign welcomes these new diverse organizations in partnership and looks forward to collaborating with them on the mutual objective of creating a stronger economic future for all Americans and future generations.

For more information on the Campaign to Fix the Debt, please visit www.fixthedebt.org.

The Minority Business Roundtable (MBRT), a registered non-profit corporation, is a national membership organization for CEOs of African-American-, Hispanic-American-, Asian-American-, and Native-American-owned top-tier businesses, representing a variety of trades and industries. Members hold positions equivalent to chief executive officer (CEO) or chairperson in their respective businesses. MBRT functions as the vehicle for its members to analyze and help formulate effective public policies that impact minority-owned businesses.

In the past 32 years, the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) has emerged as one of the most respected and effective organizations advocating for the concerns of the Puerto Rican community. NPRC's mission is to systematically strengthen and enhance the social, political, and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico with a special focus on the most vulnerable.

Woman Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) is a national nonpartisan public policy organization, advocating on behalf of nearly 1 million women-owned businesses representing 67 business organizations. WIPP provides timely economic policy information, identifies important trends and opportunities to its membership, and provides a collaborative model for the public and private sectors to increase the economic power of women-owned businesses.

The Gen Next Foundation (GNF) aims to overcome latent and present challenges facing future generations in the areas of economic opportunity, global security, and education. We leverage a broad and dynamic set of expertise and resources to change the way people view problems and solutions and produce generationally beneficial results.

Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice of the American people in protecting and enhancing our National Park System. NPCA and its 750,000 members and supporters work together to protect our National Park System and preserve our nation's natural, historical, and cultural heritage for our children and grandchildren. 

SOURCE Campaign to Fix the Debt