Date: 2015-03-24
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. just a couple of points. Againand we keep hearing that the Republican budget balancesit does not balance. It is interesting that instead of having the priority right now be accelerated economic growth with rising paychecks and rising wages for Americans. our Republican colleagues have made the absolute priority a balance which their own budget doesnt achieve. In fact. the Republican budget that was brought to the floor just 3 years ago didnt balance until something like 2047. and yet now instead of having the priority be growing the economy in a way that raises wages for all families. they have got a priority which their own budget doesnt meet. Now. American families who are focusing on their pocketbooks know that from time to time they do borrow to invest in their future. They borrow to buy a home that can go up in value. They sometimes borrow for education because they know that is a good investment. Actually. interest rates are very low right now. We should be investing in our national infrastructure so we dont become a pothole nation in the days ahead. You know. the chairman of the committee mentioned again the transportation trust fund a little earlier today. The reality is that the Presidents proposal puts forward in the budget a 6year transportation plan that avoids the shortfall and actually helps to boost our national infrastructure. our investment in roads and bridges and modernizing our national infrastructure. so that we can remain at the cutting edge and dont fall behind. The Republican budget has no plan more than the 10months plan we have had. and in this budget nothing real at all. Now. I do want to say one word about what the chairman said about the Presidents defense spending and the way the President did it. You ought to know. the President did not put it in the slush fund. He put our base defense needs where they always have been: in the defense budget for the Defense Department. In fact. I was really surprised to hear the chairman say that. because the Republican study group budgetI believe the Republican study group budget represents a majority of Republicans. I am not suredoes it the same way the President did it. in a straightforward manner. They put the funds that the Joint Chiefs of Staff say they need for our base defense needs. they put it in their budget. They do exactly what the chairman said the President was doing in some indirect way. Look. I really am pretty surprised that our colleagues keep coming back to this point because it is a total violation of what they. themselves. said. wrote down on paper a year ago. that you shouldnt be funding our defense needs as part of the ongoing defense budget by putting them in a slush fund for the overseas contingency account when the military leadership says they dont need that money for that purpose. I am pleased the President did this in a straightforward manner. in the manner that the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the military leadership said. In fact. it turns out the same way the Republican study group did. but apparently not the way the Republican majority wants to do business anymore. I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California . the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services. who understands the impact that the Republican budget decisions are going to have on everyday Americans. including in their pocketbooks.