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Washington, D.C. - A coalition of 35 Republican members of the House of Representatives elected U.S. Reps. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Charlie Bass (R-NH) to lead the mainstream Republican Tuesday Group during the 109th Congress. Congressmen Kirk and Bass will co-chair the group and lead the mainstream agenda in the House.
The Tuesday Group, which meets most Tuesdays when the House is in session, formed in 1994 after Republicans became the majority party in the Congress. Kirk and Bass replace U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Mike Castle (R-DE) who stepped down.
“We will focus our group on pro-defense, pro-personal responsibility and pro-science legislation,” said Congressman Kirk. “With the addition of new Congressmen like Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Joe Schwarz of Michigan, and Randy Kuhl of New York, I will work with Congressman Bass and our Tuesday Group colleagues to advance our agenda in Congress.”
Mainstream Republicans expressed optimism in the leadership role Kirk will fill with the Tuesday Group. “In the House and as a Commander in the Naval Reserve, Mark is a demonstrated leader who promotes a positive message and agenda to unite our party,” said Deborah Pryce (R-OH), Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference. “In this position, Mark’s institutional knowledge, grasp of the issues, and political skills will serve the Tuesday Group and the entire Republican Conference well.”
Already a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Kirk’s election as Tuesday Group co-chair brings energy and experience to the mainstream agenda. As a member of the House Whip Organization, Kirk is skilled at working with Democrats, conservatives and the House Leadership.
"As a well-respected leader in the party, Mark will be a vital link uniting the core philosophy that all Republicans share. Through the hard work and vision of leaders like Mark, I am confident the House majority will continue to be America’s majority party,” said Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA).
A priority for Kirk is slowing spending in Congress. Congressman Kirk formed an alliance with the Republican Conservative Study Group for reforms making it harder for the House to pass bills with higher spending levels. Last summer, Kirk worked with moderate ‘Blue Dog’ Democrats on legislation to curb spending. While the legislation was not enacted, Kirk will offer changes to the House Rules in January that require a 3/5 vote for any bill that increases entitlement spending.
“Mainstream Republicans agree that we should reform our rules, making it harder to increase spending,” said Kirk. “By reforming the rules of the House, we can build strong alliances across party lines to slow spending. We will help to build a bipartisan consensus to balance our budget to save Social Security and Medicare.”
Other Tuesday Group priorities include encouraging stem cell research, protecting the environment and supporting America’s allies overseas.
Working with the Republican Main Street Partnership and the National
Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Kirk will focus on developing the “Suburban Strategy” to win elections. Suburban voters far outnumber urban or rural voters in American elections. Kirk won his swing district by 64 percent of the vote in 2004. Kirk’s overwhelming victories in his Chicago suburban district caught the attention of leaders in Washington.
"Congressman Kirk's ability to connect with suburban voters makes him uniquely qualified to lead the Tuesday Group and reach out to mainstream voters across the country," said NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds.
Contact: Matt Towson
847-940-0202
cell: 773-454-5396
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