Still looking for a “balanced approach — without tax increases.
Image by J. Scott Applewhite / AP
WASHINGTON — When House Republican leaders sit down with a group of seven CEOs on Wednesday, they will continue to brainstorm how to avert the fiscal cliff with a "balanced approach" — but without new taxes.
“People in both parties agree we need a ‘balanced approach’ to deal with our deficit and debt and help our economy create jobs," Speaker John Boehner said Monday in a statement. "As we’ve seen in recent days, the American people support an approach that involves both major spending cuts and additional revenue via tax reform with lower tax rates."
Maya MacGuineas, the president of the nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and Erskine Bowles, co-chair of the president's deficit commission, will join the group of lawmakers and business leaders.
"We look forward to talking to Mr. Bowles and other members of the coalition about their ideas to avert the ‘fiscal cliff’ without tax hikes that target small businesses and cost jobs,” Boehner added.
The CEOs slated to attend the meeting include:
· Doug Oberhelman, CEO, Caterpillar Inc.
· Lloyd Blankfein, CEO & Chairman, Goldman Sachs Group
· Thomas Wilson, President & CEO, Allstate
· Nicholas Calio, President & CEO, Airlines for America
· David Cote, Chairman & CEO, Honeywell International Inc.
· Mark Bertolini, Chairman, CEO & President, Aetna, Inc.
· Greg Sherrill, Chairman & CEO, Tenneco, Inc.
