Some things may lead to ‘big things’

Faced with the nation’s mounting debt, lawmakers have an opportunity to contribute solutions from both sides of the aisle to ensure our nation’s future prosperity. Every serious effort to look at the problem so far — including recent efforts by the president’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Debt Reduction Task Force — has concluded that fiscal balance will require a combination of tough measures, including spending cuts, changes to current entitlement programs and tax reform. 

Overhauling our arcane and complex tax code offers a constructive and meaningful place to start. Instead of rehashing the entrenched tax cut battles of recent years, Congress should work to pass legislation that would simultaneously simplify the tax code, get rid of special interest loopholes, and spare large numbers of Americans the hassle of filing returns. Done right, this kind of reform could raise the same or even greater amounts of revenue with a tax system that is pro-growth, fairer and more efficient. Although it is a more ideologically charged issue, Congress could consider substantially lowering corporate and individual tax rates in favor of a federal consumption tax.

Political differences on energy issues are often driven as much by regional interests as ideology. In 2005 and 2007, comprehensive energy bills that coupled stronger efficiency requirements with incentives for domestic energy production were enacted with overwhelming majorities in both Republican and Democratic Congresses. 

A new push to stimulate energy technology innovation and competitiveness could likewise garner strong support from lawmakers and the public. Despite last year’s contentious climate change debate, there was strong bipartisan support to create a new institution to facilitate joint government-private sector energy technology investments. Significant bipartisan enthusiasm also exists to enhance a relatively new program that supports high-risk, high-reward R&D on potentially transformational energy technologies. This program was initially signed into law by President George W. Bush and is modeled on an extremely successful Department of Defense initiative. 

Finally, our current fiscal situation demands a hard, bipartisan look at all energy subsidy programs. Rather than re-engaging in a divisive process of picking winners and losers among fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear power, Congress should revisit the whole system of existing subsidies as part of a broad effort to see if we cannot accomplish more with less by making these programs more performance-based, goal-oriented, efficient and accountable.

On the health care front, medical malpractice reform is another issue with potential for bipartisan agreement. The president has offered to explore additional avenues for limiting costs related to medical malpractice suits — a longstanding Republican priority. Congress should respond by considering proposals like health courts and mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution. It should be possible to win broad support for a package of reforms that would ease the burden of lawsuits on our nation’s doctors and courts, help incentivize quality over quantity and reduce health care costs for all Americans.

While these solutions will not put us on a secure fiscal footing, end our dependence upon foreign oil or resolve the health care debate, they offer opportunities for lawmakers to demonstrate that they can work together on these critical problems to find bipartisan solutions that have real impact. 

In his State of the Union address last month, President Obama emphasized that, as Americans, “We do big things.”

After years of steadily escalating partisanship and polarization, the American people — understandably — are not so sure. They are looking for actions, not words. If the 112th Congress can demonstrate the ability to do “some things,” maybe the “big things” will follow.

Jason Grumet is the president of the Bipartisan Policy Center.