Date: 2013-02-06
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: fered

a solution. Here we have a debate on the budget. the blueprint for how we go forward. And the Rules Committee. dominated by the Republican majority. has said we wont even let your proposal come to the floor. not in the form of an amendment or a substitute or in any other way. What are they afraid of? Theyre afraid of common sense because that is what Mr. VAN HOLLENS proposal is about. It recognizes that we need to have spending cuts. In fact. weve already agreed to $1.6 trillion in spending cuts in the Budget Control Act. It recognizes that we must address the entitlement issue. In fact. Democrats have already agreed to more than $1 trillion in Medicare savings to strengthen Medicare and to protect beneficiaries. So with that as a basis. we go forward with the Van Hollen proposal. which is a very commonsense solution. It is a plan to replace sequester. It makes further spending cuts in a responsible way. It ends tax breaks for Big Oil. and it ensures that millionaires pay their fair share. Who could be opposed to that? So lets get serious. Its time for us to get serious. We have a serious challenge. We should be working in a bipartisan way to find a solution. Instead. again. the Republicans are playing games leading up to what will make "March Madness" a term that would be inadequate for the consequences to our children. millions of whom will be affected in terms of their education and their wellbeing. to our seniors. to our veterans. to our safety industry in terms of cops on the beat. The list of cuts across the board and a meatax approach with no common sense given to it is ridiculous. Its ridiculous. Lets stop this march to folly. this "March Madness." Lets get serious. Lets accept the Presidents challenge that he put forth. If we cant have a big. bold. and balanced solution now. lets at least do something that is balanced and bold as we go forward to the end of the fiscal year. as Mr. VAN HOLLEN has proposed. so that we can do what is right for the American people instead of what is wrong for our economy. What the Republicans are proposing is a blueprint for a downward spiral in our economy. Its irresponsible. It does not have value in terms of being solutionoriented. I might add. in conclusion. Madam Chair. that Im listening attentively to this debate and I hear my colleagues on the Republican side talking about how important it is to reduce the deficitand we are in total agreement on that subject. I think we have a moral obligation to reduce the deficit. I think we have a moral obligation to create jobs. to put people to work because growth. in addition to spending cuts and revenue increases. growth is whats going to help us reduce the deficit. But I didnt hear one "boo" out of any of the people. not one little hoot. one little peep. or any other sound an endangered species of a deficit hawk would have made during President Bushs term when most of this deficit was amassedtax cuts for the wealthiest people. which did not create jobs but increased the deficit. giveaways to the pharmaceutical companies with an illadvised pharmaceutical plan. and two unpaidfor wars. Just not fair to investments that we should be making in Americas future. whether its biomedical research to create cures and to keep America preeminent in terms of science. whether. again. its invested in the seed corn and the education of our children. The list goes on and on. The list goes on and on of all of the initiatives that are important to growth. to making our future brighter. to keeping America competitive. to keeping America number one. So I urge a strong rejection of what the Republicans are proposing. Its. frankly. silly and. as I said before. unworthy of the challenge that our country faces and the bipartisan solutions that we should be trying to achieve. I urge a "no" vote.