WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Budget Committee, has been named a conferee to a budget conference between the House and Senate. The legislation to reopen the government, passed by Congress on October 16, requires that a budget conference be convened to address the nation’s unsustainable $17 trillion debt.

“For the first time in 50 years, discretionary spending in Washington has declined for two years in a row,” Wicker said. “Republicans have successfully fought to ensure the budget savings, established in 2011, will continue. We must not stop there.

“I am hopeful that Democrats will negotiate with us in good faith to slow the growth rate of our automatic spending programs and deliver a budget that reduces federal debt without raising taxes on hard-working families.

“A responsible budget will enable us to grow the economy – not the size of government. I look forward to the challenge of working to secure our nation’s financial prosperity and protect the next generation from the burden of crushing debt.”

The conference committee will be responsible for returning a spending plan to both chambers of Congress by December 13.