Lisa Murkowski: “let me make a reference to the state of affairs relative to the suspended budget talks. I think it is fair to say that…”

“let me make a reference to the state of affairs relative to the suspended budget talks. I think it is fair to say that we have all observed, with some chagrin, finger pointing, the reality that after these endless meetings we are left with a situation where we have not reached an accord. It is undoubtedly a reality that we will not get this thing resolved until after the State of the Union on the 23d of January. It would be perhaps speculative to suggest we will get it resolved at that time. But we certainly hope so. But I think it is fair to say that the extended discussions covering the major issues of Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, taxes have been thoroughly gone into, but they are still not resolved. The President has stepped forward with a 7-year proposal to balance the budget, but the difficulty with that is most of the cuts are in the 7th year. In the 7th year the President is not going to be here. It is such a draconian mandate that undoubtedly Congress would find it unacceptable. Clearly it lacks the commitment that is necessary for it to be workable; and that is that we have a proportional cut over each year that is equitable and palatable to the American public.”