The leaders of 16 major Oklahoma employers, including OU President David L. Boren, are calling on Congress to immediately address the nation’s economic meltdown.

The group, which includes university presidents and corporate CEOs, released a joint statement Wednesday which called the events of the past weeks “the worst U.S. financial crisis since the Great Depression,” and demanded that Oklahoma’s congressional delegation demonstrate leadership by passing a proposed $700 billion bailout plan.

The statement praised Representatives Dan Boren, D-Muskogee and Tom Cole, R-Moore, for voting in favor of the bailout Monday and “respectfully request[ed]” that Representatives Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City, Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, and John Sullivan, R-Tulsa, who voted against the bailout, reconsider their votes.

“Leadership matters and it is time to lead,” the statement said. “This is no time to play the blame game. We urgently need non-partisan political leadership.”

Signees believe a failure to act quickly on the economic crisis “will result in real and potentially dangerous economic consequences for every Oklahoman,” the statement said.

The statement said signees are proponents of free enterprise and are usually in favor of letting the market work with only limited government intervention, but the economic crisis is an “extraordinary situation” that necessitates “extraordinary action.”

The statement expressed concern that continued turmoil in the financial markets could drive the value of the dollar down and reduce the amount of credit available domestically, hurting businesses and homeowners.

The statement’s authors warned that if credit becomes unavailable, it could affect job growth and therefore revenue in Oklahoma, limiting the funds available for education, health and safety programs.

“In the face of this danger, continued inaction by our Federal Government is not an option in our view,” the statement said. “While [the bailout plan] may not be perfect, we believe that failing to pass it is a risk too great for Oklahomans and for all Americans to take.”

The group of men who signed the statement include Boren, Burns Hargis, president of Oklahoma State University; Clay Bennett, chairman of the Oklahoma City Thunder; Pete Delaney, president and CEO of OGE Energy Corp. and Cliff Hudson, chairman and CEO of Sonic Corp.

The statement said the men “adhere to different political philosophies,” but are united by the belief that a failure to act to resolve the financial crisis will have devastating consequences.

Boren, who personally e-mailed Fallin, Lucas and Sullivan after they voted against the bailout on Monday, said he felt morally obligated to make a public statement.

“The university doesn’t have a stance on this, just like the election, but I think I’m setting a poor example for students if I don’t speak out as a citizen,” said Boren, who was a member of the Senate Finance Committee during his time as a U.S. senator.