Van Hollen to Ryan: How about a hearing on tax rates?

The top Democrat on the House Budget Committee sought to turn the table on Republicans asking for "honesty" on the solvency of entitlement programs by demanding that they pay similar attention to tax revenues.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) pointed out that the panel on Wednesday was holding its fourth hearing on the solvency of Medicare or Social Security but had yet to look into the nation's tax structure. He said the Congressional Budget Office has said that the primary recent policies driving the need to increase the debt ceiling were the tax breaks of 2001 and 2003, which disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans.

"I'm glad we're having, by my account, the fourth hearing on this subject," Van Hollen said, "but if we're going to take a balanced approach to the long-term challenges, let's include that conversation about tax expenditures."

Van Hollen made his opening comments after Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) berated Congress for its "culture of irresponsibility."

"The failure of Washington to be honest about Medicare, Social Security and the federal budget threatens the economic security of Americans," Ryan said in his opening remarks. "For too long, policymakers have avoided the critical question of how the social insurance strategies of the 20th century can deliver on their promise in the 21st century."

The Medicare and Social Security actuaries, Rick Foster and Stephen Goss, are testifying at the hearing.

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