Excerpts from a March 8, 2009, Washington Post article by Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan and Republican Senator John McCain:

"More than $9 trillion -- in taxpayer dollars -- has been pledged, committed, lent or spent by the federal government in response to the economic crisis. Some say that if the economy continues to deteriorate, trillions more might be necessary to prevent another Great Depression.

"Yet no one has investigated how this crisis happened. That is irresponsible. A comprehensive investigation is essential to prevent this from happening again."

We, the undersigned, fully agree with the above remarks made by Senators Dorgan and McCain, including their conclusion that, "The recovery and growth of our economy depend on the confidence of the American people. That will be restored only when we have investigated, analyzed and fixed the things that caused today's economic crisis." That is why we strongly support the bipartisan legislation (S.RES. 62) they submitted on March 3rd, which is:

"A resolution establishing a select committee of the Senate to make a thorough and complete study and investigation of the facts and circumstances giving rise to the economic crisis facing the United States and to make recommendations to prevent a future recurrence of such a crisis."

We therefore respectfully ask that you schedule this legislation to be debated and voted on at the earliest available opportunity. The sooner that this or a similar Bipartisan Financial Oversight Committee is created, the sooner that Congress and the Obama Administration will be able to forge a bipartisan consensus on the best economic policies for our country to pursue in the years ahead!