Judd Gregg: “The issue which is being brought forth here is the fundamental issue that we have to address as a Governor. It is the…”

“The issue which is being brought forth here is the fundamental issue that we have to address as a Governor. It is the issue of how to control our entitlement accounts. I serve on the Appropriations Committee. I have the pleasure to chair the Commerce, State, and Justice Subcommittee. I am constantly petitioned by individuals coming to me who represent very legitimate organizations, asking that they receive funding at last year's level of expenditure, or maybe even a slight increase, maybe an inflationary increase in their accounts. I have to say to them, ``I am sorry, we are going to have to reduce this account,'' or in some cases we have to eliminate spending in that account because we do not have the money available. Why do we not have the money available? Primarily because of the fact we have not been able to control entitlement spending here in our body. Therefore, all the effort to control spending in this body falls on the discretionary side. Entitlement spending, as my colleagues know, is made up of five major items: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, AFDC, and earned-income tax credit. There are also the farm programs and a variety of other mandatory programs. In fact, I think there are 400 of them.”