Big Oil Subsidies

Floor Speech

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Ms. AYOTTE. I thank my colleagues. I think those who are watching this will see we are new Senators back here in the back corner of the Senate. As a new Member of this Chamber, I am deeply disappointed by the lack of work that we have been doing in the Senate. The majority leader has put us in a position where we haven't been focusing on the fiscal crisis that is facing our Nation right now, when we look at the fact it has been 792 days since we have had a budget.

I was so excited as a new member of the Budget Committee to roll up my sleeves and get together and put out a responsible blueprint for this country. Unfortunately, we were told by the majority leader that would be foolish--to put together a responsible blueprint for this country and to do the work of the Budget Committee.

One of the reasons I came to the Senate is I am tired of business as usual. I know my freshman colleagues back here share that. I am the mother of two children--I know the President mentioned his children yesterday--but if we care about our children and the future of this country, we owe it to our children to not continue to kick the can down the road. We should be in the Senate today and next week talking about how we are going to put together a blueprint that makes sure that we do not continue to borrow from countries such as China; that we do not continue to enslave our children with the debt this country is accumulating.

We know if we do not address this, the greatest country in the world will go bankrupt. I, for one, want to follow through on the American promise that we have always made to the next generation, which is that we will leave them with a better country. That is so threatened right now with what is happening in Washington.

I share with my colleague, Senator Johnson, the belief we should be addressing nothing next week but spending and debt. We have the debt ceiling vote coming up, so why aren't we rolling up our sleeves right now, working on a solution with real spending reforms and putting those handcuffs on Congress that we know we need, such as a balanced budget amendment, spending caps, and a budget for our country that reduces spending so we don't have to have this continuing resolution situation.

We do not have a tax problem in this country, we have a spending problem. We need to create a positive climate for our private sector and do the hard work in Washington--the same way our families do--and live within our means. So I think next week we should be doing the work that needs to be done.

Mr. President, you called on us yesterday to work. We are here working. The only financial and fiscal blueprint that you have offered--your budget for 2012--did not even get one vote from a member of your party in this Chamber. This budget blueprint would have added another $14 trillion to our debt.

So I say to our President: We are willing to roll up our sleeves and get to work with you to avert this looming fiscal crisis, but where is your plan that will reduce spending and get us on a responsible fiscal path to preserving the greatest country in the world?

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