Costa calls Budget Reconciliation Act "misdirected"
Costa calls Budget Reconciliation Act "misdirected"
Washington, D.C. - Calling it "misdirected", Congressman Jim Costa (CA-20) today (Thursday, Nov.10) strongly criticized the Budget Reconciliation Act brought to the floor of the House of Representatives by the Republican House leadership.
In remarks prepared for delivery on the floor, Costa said he was disappointed in the House leadership for refusing to develop a bi-partisan fiscal package. Noting his 24 years in leadership positions in the California State Assembly and Senate, Costa said, "I know how to engage in a process that creates a bi-partisan approach to fiscal issues. This budget bill is not bi-partisan."
The Fresno lawmaker described the budget reconciliation act as "nothing more than a fig leaf to cover up a host of fiscal policy shortcomings."
"As a new Member of Congress," Costa stated, "I am struck by the nonsensical ability of our government to spend money we do not have during a time of war, record budget deficits and epic international borrowing, while at the same time proposing additional tax cuts for the wealthy and cuts in programs that serve the needy in our society."
Costa also pointed out that the House leadership had refused to discuss a 12-point deficit reduction proposal put forward by the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative Democrats of which Costa is a member. "Rather than provide the House with an opportunity to engage in serious and meaningful budget discussion," Costa asserted, "we are left with a 'take it or leave it' package that, if passed, will increase our deficit by $20 billion."
Earlier this week Costa threw his support behind legislation which, if passed, would create a nine-member bipartisan commission to review existing corporate entitlements and recommend to Congress a minimum of $50 billion in savings over ten years.
"The Corporate Entitlements Reform Act of 2005 is a common sense guideline for cutting and spending in the federal budget that would serve to rein in the reckless fiscal policies of the administration," Costa declared.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca20_costa/BudgtRec.html