Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach (PA-6th District) issued the following statement Saturday after an agreement was announced on cutting spending by $38.5 billion over the next six months:

"Eliminating wasteful Washington spending and erasing crippling budget deficits are critical to creating jobs and getting our country moving forward. The historic spending cuts contained in this agreement represent a responsible first step toward ending the borrowing and spending binge of the last two years. This agreement also means that our brave men and women in the military who are getting their jobs done in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world will not miss a paycheck. Our work is not finished. I look forward to enacting real solutions for eliminating unnecessary spending and creating an environment where job creators here in the 6th District can hire workers and thrive."