Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1264, Multiple Peril Insurance Act of 2009

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Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I know we're going to have a big debate on flood insurance and wind insurance and I'm going to be participating in that, but I wanted to talk about, obviously, the YouCut program.

There is nothing that is upsetting to more people across the State of West Virginia that I see every day than the overspending, the debt and deficit that is just overwhelming them and this country. But the YouCut program, since its inception, 1.3 million Americans have weighed in on where they think we can cut government spending. Folks from all across America are tightening their budgets. This summer, they're deciding? Can we go on vacation. Can we go for 2 days. Can we go for a week. Can we fly. Can we drive. Should we go out to dinner? Should we stay in?

All these are economic questions that we ask in our families every single day, and those are the kinds of questions that we should be asking here in Washington. Where can we tighten our belts and save our money so that our next generations and the generations beyond us are going to have the kind of America that we have and our parents enabled us to have?

People are rightly disgusted by the gross abuse, I think, of taxpayer money on pet projects and overbloated Federal programs, but I think we're listening. Republicans are listening and we're taking action. House Republicans have already offered $120 billion in spending cuts, but the Democrats insist on continuing down this dangerous path of overspending.

Now, some of the cuts we've offered haven't really been what would be considered, around Washington, huge amounts, maybe just hundreds of millions or billions, but come on. This is real money. This is taxpayers dollars, and so if you have to start on a smaller amount and grow it larger, we all know it eventually will make a dent.

So this week I'm casting my vote in support of my colleague's proposal to quit subsidizing first class subsidies to Amtrak. Only 16 percent of the passengers opt for first class, yet we are subsidizing the first class seats in Amtrak to the point of $1.3 billion of subsidy that goes to those who choose to purchase first class seats with Amtrak.

Amtrak's a great thing, comes in my district, goes right through the center of the State on out to the West. But people who have first class and want to buy first class seats should be able to pay for it. It should be priced accordingly. So I think this is a good way to save, over 10 years, $1.2 billion of taxpayers' money.

Let's give the American people what they're wanting, that is, fiscal restraint and responsibility. That's what American families across this country are exercising across their kitchen table. That's what we should be doing here across the budget table in the United States Congress.

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