As budget talks heat up, a coalition of conservatives areproposing a solution that cuts spending across the board, capsgovernment spending and includes a balanced budget amendment—andsome Republican lawmakers are already fully behind it.

Colin Hanna, president of conservative group Let Freedom Ring,announced today on Capitol Hill the coalition’s launch of the “Cut,Cap and Balance Pledge,” which asks members of Congress andcitizens to commit to opposing an “irresponsible increase in ourdebt limit.”

“Today’s announcement represents an historic effort bydozens of outside groups, on behalf of millions of Americans, tounify around a simple principle: We recognize that half measuresand timidity will guarantee a future debt crisis in America similarto what we have seen in Europe,” Hanna said. “Cut, Cap, Balance — abold reform plan — will force reductions in spending in the near,medium and long term and put America back on the path to fiscalresponsibility instead of a future of trillion-dollar annualdeficits.”

The Cut, Cap, Balance plan requires congressional passage ofsubstantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next yearand thereafter; congressional passage of enforceable spending capsthat will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget; andcongressional passage of a balanced budget amendment to the U.S.Constitution — but only if it includes both a spending limitationand a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancingrevenues and expenses.

“All lawmakers, candidates, and citizens have a goldenopportunity to put the next generation ahead of the next election,”Hanna said. “Courage and leadership are required now more thanever.”

The coalition includes more than 40 outside public policy andadvocacy groups whom are urging public pressure on all lawmakersand candidates to sign the pledge.

Already on board, Hanna announced, are U.S. Senators Jim DeMint(R-SC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL),Rand Paul (R-KY), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), David Vitter (R-LA), LindseyGraham (R-SC), Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK);Representatives Jim Jordan (R-OH), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Joe Walsh(R-IL), Ron Paul (R-TX), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Mick Mulvaney(R-SC), Andy Harris (R-MD), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Tim Huelskamp(R-KS) and Dennis Ross (R-FL). Additionally, at least ninecandidates for federal office and 9,300 Americans have signed thepledge.

By signing, lawmakers essentially promise not to vote to raisethe debt ceiling unless it comes with the three-tiered package ofspending cuts, caps, and a balanced budget amendment.

In a recent survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide conductedon behalf of Let Freedom Ring, 60 percent said they oppose raisingthe debt ceiling. When asked about the fiscal crisis, 56 percentsaid too much government spending was the cause, and 22 percentsaid Americans don’t pay enough in taxes.