Waiving Points of Order Against Conference Report on S. 1932, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005

WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 1932, DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - December 18, 2005)

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Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, our friends on the other side of the aisle asked us, Were we sent here to do this?

Frankly, I can only speak for my district and tell Members that is exactly what I was asked to do. When I talk to my constituents at home, they tell me government is too big, taxes are too high. Do something about it.

We all know the numbers here, and we are going to hear a lot of sound and fury tonight about how horrific and dramatic this bill is.

In reality, it is not. We are talking about a little over $40 billion out of a $14.5 trillion revenue stream over the next 5 years, less than one-half of 1 percent.

We will not cut spending. Spending, instead of going up annually at 6.4 percent a year, will go up at 6.3 percent. We will not cut Medicaid. Instead of going up at 7.3 percent, it will go up at a little over 7 percent.

This is, though, an important first step, where we begin to deal with nondiscretionary entitlement spending. That is going to be, I think, the big challenge over the next decade. I am very proud that this Congress has begun to grapple with that problem. I look forward to the process as we continue this in the years ahead.

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