(Billings, MT) - In response to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's decision to appoint Baucus to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, Montana's senior U.S. Senator issued the following statement:

"I'm humbled to be appointed to the committee to help tackle this critical issue for Montana and the American people. 

Millions of Americans are struggling in this tough economy, working overtime to pay the bills, find a job, and find a way forward for their families, and they want the federal government to do the same without the unprecedented partisanship that has been plaguing our country in the last months.

Some might say there is risk in serving on a committee with such a difficult task, but I believe there is far greater risk in not tackling our deficit problems head-on. It is a long overdue step to go beyond the partisanship and politics that have overwhelmed these discussions for months.  The greatest risk we face is in doing nothing.

Getting our fiscal house in order is one of our most serious challenges.  Our country needs to stay strong and get stronger for generations to come, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address these issues in a balanced and practical way. 

Montanans and the entire country demand leadership and real solutions, and I'll continue working my hardest to give them what they deserve."

 Contact: Kate Downen (406) 224-5056 or Kathy Weber (406) 698-1477

# # #