Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. Chairman, first of all, I want to begin by thanking the committee and Chairman Culberson for their tremendous work that they have put into this bill, identifying ways to reduce spending and to be a good steward of the taxpayers' money.

This funding bill is $51.4 billion, and I would like to point out that that is $661 million below the President's request. Good work on behalf of our team.

Now, I am one of those that thinks more needs to be done, especially when we look at the discretionary spending. There is more we should do. My amendment calls for a 1 percent across-the-board spending reduction. That would reduce the budget authority by $540 million and outlays by $340 million in Fiscal Year 2016.

I am fully aware of the opposition that exists to across-the-board cuts by many of the appropriators, and I have many times stood on this floor and heard how they think this is just a little bit of a cut too much.

However, we are nearly $18.3 trillion in debt. Indeed, Admiral Mullen, on July 6, 2010, said the greatest threat to our Nation's security is our Nation's debt.

Getting our spending under control is an important step for us to take. That is why we need to move forward and do what many of our States have done and institute across-the-board cuts to save one penny out of a dollar.

Engage the rank-and-file Federal employees. Have them bring to the table their best ideas. Our children are depending on us to do this in order to maintain the fiscal sovereignty of our Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Madam Chairman, I appreciate, as I said, the work that the committee has done, but I think it is imperative that we realize the burden that we are placing on future generations.

Quite frankly, I think it is rather selfish of this body to force future generations--our children and grandchildren--to pay for the out-of-control spending of today.

Have we done a good job? Yes. Could we do a superlative? Absolutely, we could. Cutting one penny out of a dollar is a wise step. I don't know of anybody that thinks we are underspent. I know a lot of people that think we are overspent and that we are overtaxed.

What it is going to take in order to get our fiscal house in order and to secure this Nation for future generations is, yes, indeed, targeted cuts. It is going to take across-the-board cuts, and it is going to take everybody agreeing that we don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.

That is a component of our budget and appropriations process that the American people are demanding that we get under control. It is not necessarily a debate about worthiness. There are lots of good programs and essential programs.

What it is, is a debate about stewardship, making certain that we are focusing and that we are doing the extra work that is necessary to get the spending under control.

As I said, this is $51.4 billion in discretionary funding that is in this appropriations bill. It is below the President's request. The committee is to be commended for that.

Taking the step of a 1 percent cut, you are talking about $540 million in budget authority and $340 million reduction in outlays. It is a goal that we should set for ourselves. It is doable. It is attainable.

We should take a playbook and a lesson from the States and the counties and the communities that we represent and make the effort to reduce the spending just a little bit more.

Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source