Key Business Leaders Urge Deficit Cuts

A group representing 200 of the nation’s largest corporations launched a million-dollar effort Tuesday to pressure Congress and the White House to get moving on reducing federal budget deficits.

“We want our political leaders to know there are millions of people out there who are disturbed about these deficits, who want something done about it and want it done now,” said Robert A. Beck, chairman of the Prudential Insurance Co. of America and chairman of the Business Roundtable.

The group’s member corporations will provide the starting point for the campaign.

“We employ some 13 million people,” Beck told a news conference. “We have millions of others who own stock in our companies or who are policyholders.

“We intend to do everything we can as a group to mobilize these millions of employees and shareholders so the concerns we have about these deficits are heard.”

Varied Approaches Planned

Beck said the group plans to spend about $1 million to spread the message through brochures, letters, company publications and speeches.

“We’re also going to try to get pre-addressed postcards into their hands to encourage them to write to Congress and the President on this issue,” Beck said.