Pete Domenici: “So what the President has done is he has two balanced budgets, one using the same economic assumptions that we have…”

“So what the President has done is he has two balanced budgets, one using the same economic assumptions that we have used, which he told the American people, ``They have told me to use that, and I've used it, and I'm in balance,'' but he has another budget when he does not use those same economic assumptions. He uses his own, prepared by the Office of Management and Budget, under the direction of the executive branch. And that is the second set of books. Which set of books are we telling the American people balances the budget? I believe the President is making it very clear that he balances the budget the same way we do. But then he produces a second set of books where he does not have to have as many cuts, he does not have to have these triggered cuts because the economics are so much better that he can get by with less. Let us make it very clear, if we talk about the President's budget that is just like our budget in terms of which level you are jumping over, where is the stick that you are doing your high jump over? Using the same one for both, then there is no way that the President can be in balance without cutting, in the last 2 years of this budget, discretionary programs by 10 percent and 18 percent respectively. Is that not correct?”