Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 22, 2007)

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Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. I thank the Chair.

I want to thank the Chair of the committee and the ranking member for their good work and the committee's work. I know for the Chair in particular, I want to congratulate her on the first bill coming through her subcommittee, a very important subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. So I appreciate the fine work done there and the oversight of the visitors center. The passion with which the ranking member spoke about Emancipation Hall I thought was right on target. So I appreciate the work done.

This amendment, just like the amendment I offered last night to the Foreign Operations bill, simply says this: instead of increasing spending by 4 percent, let's hold the line. I articulated reasons last night in the long debate that this body had over why that is appropriate, why that makes sense. Because there is in fact a crisis looming for this country if we don't get control of the spending here in the United States Congress, in the United States Senate and the United States Government.

It is important that we recognize that. I articulated last night too, don't take my word for it. Yesterday's Washington Post talked about this growing problem that is coming in the very near future, and it is important we understand that.

I won't go through all the arguments again here, because I know we have had a long debate and people want to get on their way and get back to their district.

I will just say this: ever-increasing spending inevitably leads to ever-increasing taxes. The American families, the American people are overtaxed because our government spends too much. It has been a problem for both parties. We need to get it under control.

Millions of families, millions of families across this country are going to live on last year's budget. It is not too much to ask the United States Government, in particular the United States Congress, to do the same.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. I will be brief and just point out this: we heard some of the terrible things that are going to happen if we keep the spending at the same level we had last year.

The American people need to understand this, Madam Chair: $3.1 billion is what this bill spends. My amendment would say $3 billion, $3 billion to run the United States Congress. You ask American families that, they would probably say, you know, that is probably enough. They can probably get by on $3 billion versus $3.1 billion. That is all this does. As the gentleman from Texas pointed out, in the course of the appropriation bills we have been dealing with, this is fairly fiscally responsible. But $3 billion is enough to run the United States Congress.

That is all this amendment would do, keep us where we are right now. Things are working fine now. Why can't we do that in the future?

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