Dr. Coburn joined 23 other Republican senators in sending a letter to the White House calling on President Obama to show “strong leadership” in confronting the financial crisis with entitlement programs. Original copy of the signed letter here.

March 16, 2011

Mr. President,

The fiscal challenges facing our country today call for courageous leadership. Government spending is growing at an alarming rate, and the federal budget deficit has reached record levels. Congress will soon face a vote to increase the debt ceiling yet again, the fourth time in your Presidency and the 11th time in the last decade. Future generations will drown in a debt forced onto them by the inactions of Congresses and Administrations far before their time. The time to remedy these failures is now.

While Congress is currently engaged in an important discussion on annual discretionary spending levels, the more significant long-term problem facing our country is the continued growth of mandatory spending programs. Federal expenditures on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to double over the coming decade and represent an unsustainable portion of total government spending.

In order to ensure the long-term viability of these programs, it is imperative that you lead a bipartisan effort to address these challenges. In 1983, President Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill recognized the pressing need for reform, showed political courage and worked together to craft a plan that has safeguarded Social Security for the past thirty years. A similar show of leadership from you and from congressional leaders of both parties is necessary to address the long-term fiscal challenges facing our country.

Last year’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform marked an important first step in identifying a potential path forward. Strong leadership is needed now to advance possible solutions to ensure that our entitlement programs can serve both current and future generations. Without action to begin addressing the deficit, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for us to support a further increase in the debt ceiling. House Speaker John Boehner this month offered to partner with you in a nonpartisan effort. We join in the Speaker’s offer, and urge you to lead this Congress and the nation in the critical effort to strengthen our country’s long-term fiscal security.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.)

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)

U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.)

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)

U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)

U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas)

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)

U.S. Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.)

U.S. Senator Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.)

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas)

U.S. Senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.)

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)

U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah)

U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.)

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio)

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

U.S. Senator James Risch (R-Idaho)

U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.)

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)

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