Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4241, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4241, DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT OF 2005--Continued -- (House of Representatives - November 17, 2005)

Ms. BEAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule. One of the reasons I came to Congress was to bring a real-world business perspective to government. In the business world, accountability is survival. In this Congress, it is a catch phrase usually directed elsewhere.

Demands for personal responsibility or corporate accountability abound, but rarely congressional accountability or fiscal restraint. Instead of sticking to the motto, If it is worth doing, it is worth paying for, this administration and this Congress have turned the largest budget surplus in history into the largest deficit in history with a reckless borrow-and-spend profligacy. It should be no surprise then that today's so-called Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 actually increases the budget deficit, fails to fix the broken budget process, and does nothing to reduce America's dependence on foreign capital.

I will oppose this irresponsible budget package which does not include pay go spending controls. We must pay as we go. It is a simple concept with a proven track record. The budget enforcement rules of the 1990s were an important part of getting the budget back into balance. The pay-as-you-go rules were tested and they worked. Accountability in government should be more than a catch phrase. It is time for us to say the buck stops here.

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