WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Burr issued the following statement regarding the fiscal cliff and ongoing negotiations:

"While I am hopeful we will be able to reach a deal that will put our economy back on the right track, there has not been much reason for optimism lately. The issue is broader than simply avoiding the fiscal cliff.  We are in this position because our economy is in a very dangerous place - we are spending more than we are bringing in every year, our national debt is over $16 trillion and climbing, and Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are in jeopardy of going bankrupt.

"We must reform our tax code to make it less burdensome and ensure that all Americans pay their fair share.  We need to reduce federal spending to levels that are within our means rather than ...