Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction’s failureto craft a budget deal:

“Instead of focusing on jobs, which is the only way to grow our economy and fix the country’s deficit problems, we witnessed Republicans again refusing to compromise and putting their loyalty to lobbyists ahead of the American people. After manufacturing this crisis over the summer, Republicans insisted on protecting tax giveaways for millionaires and billionaires and eliminating the Medicare guarantee. Republicans seem more committed to protecting the one percent than to finding bipartisan solutions that create jobs.

“Last month, the Congressional Progressive Caucus submitted its recommendations to the Super Committee that would create jobs while protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Since the Supercommittee failed to produce a plan, we will introduce our own legislation that reduces the deficit by trillions of dollars and puts America back to work.

“The best way to eliminate the deficit is to get America working again. Americans want leaders who work for all of us, not just the top one percent.”