Hearing of the House Rules Committee - "H.J.Res. 44 Further Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011"

Statement

Good afternoon Chairman Dreier, Ranking Member Slaughter and members of the Rules Committee. I am pleased to appear before you today to present H.I. Res 44, the FY 2011 Further Continuing Appropriations Resolution.

* I am here to seek a traditional rule on this CR, to allow for prompt consideration and passage to avoid a potential government shutdown that could otherwise occur at the end of the week on March 4th.

* A government shutdown would halt critical and necessary services and programs that Americans across the country rely on. While I would have greatly preferred that the Senate act on the legislation the House passed last week, it is clear that more time is needed for negotiations to ensue
on a year-long funding bill.

* This temporary CR contains funding to allow all government agencies and programs to continue operating at the current level of spending for the next two weeks, until March 18, 2011 - except for several spending cuts and
program terminations.

* The bill contains $4 billion in spending reductions, including the termination of eight programs for a savings of $1.24 billion, and the elimination of dozens of earmarks totaling more than $2.7 billion -clearly showing our continued commitment to getting our nation's fiscal house in order.

* Each and every one of these spending cuts are items that were marked for termination in the President's budget request, or they are earmarks - something that the House, Senate, and White House have all said we do not support.

* This legislation is the second of many Appropriations bills that will significantly reduce spending this year - continuing a pattern of cuts that will help put our nation's budgets back into balance and stop the dangerous spiral of unsustainable deficits and debt.

* It is critically important that we move this legislation expeditiously and continue negotiations on a final agreement so that the fiscal year 2011 process can finally be completed, and so we can move forward to our regular
and important budget work for fiscal year 2012.

* We are now five months into the current fiscal year, and we have to begin looking forward to do what the previous majority failed to do - complete the budget process, pass funding bills in an open and transparent fashion, reduce spending to rein in our deficits and debt. .. and do this all on time so that we avoid these budget uncertainties in the future.

* Thank you.

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