the head of ecing o told us that, and that's why companies are not hiring as fast as what they might do. they -- we do need to address the second problem of rising debt. this is where i agree with the colleagues on both sides who made that a critical issue. we should not wait to respond. not by imposing fiscal us austey right now, but by adopting a plan that phases in fiscal discipline as the economy strengthens. we really need an economic two-step. first, we need short term strengthening of demand and investments in infrastructure. that would put people to work and make america more competitive. second and simultaneously, we should adopt a credible and serious plan that puts us back on a sounder, long term fiscal course by tax reform, reforming entitlements, and by cutting wasteful spending. all of that is required. in his testimony before the senate budget committee last week, federal reserve chairman benanke testified to the two-step approach, and i quote, "even as fiscal policymakers address the urgent issue of fiscal stainability, they should take care not to unnecessarily imped