Steve Womack

Our nation's strong innovation ecosystem has always been driven by the pioneering spirit on which America was founded.

I believe that, eventually, net interest on the debt is probably going to exceed what we spend on national security, which would be unheard of, in my opinion.

I would assume I would get an affirmative response from every single one of you that in a future infrastructure package the ability for this country to get rural broadband... is important.

I subscribe to the notion that deficits and debt do matter, because eventually we are going to become a credit risk.

I am very concerned that Congress is on the verge of making it worse, because if Congress gives states a powerful incentive to stay locked down, then that is going to continue to retard the recovery.

I am concerned that this Committee ought to be focused on a large and growing crisis that threatens income security programs for all Americans.

It is imperative that policymakers establish and enforce policies guiding fiscal responsibility as subsequent COVID-19 relief bills are considered.

We cannot keep getting away from doing our job, especially when we are in normal times.

How do we make sure that the policies we enact are doing everything possible to defeat the virus, to boost the economy, and to get Americans back to work?

Obviously, these are unprecedented times in our nation, as evidenced by the fact that we are conducting this hearing from various parts of our country.

Everyone here agrees that when a crisis occurs the federal government has to act.

Thank you for driving down and at least warming a chair there in the Budget hearing room.

As I was saying, it is appropriate that we are having this conversation, in many respects, behind a mask, because there is nobody on this floor today who can argue with a straight face that many of the provisions in this bill that we are…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, let me say before I get to the contents of my remarks, not lost on me is the work that Mr. Cole is doing today as a Rules Committee member and managing the debate that we just had, managing…

Born from the people, the work of Congress is an integral part of our Nation. Or is it? Judging from the legislation that is before us right now, I am not so sure. But tracing back to the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War II…

We must ensure our efforts are targeted to help the needy, not prop up the opportunistic.

Our response, just as this situation, has been unprecedented.

We have a responsibility to the people we serve, and the moment is now to mitigate the damage to our people and our economy. For those who question the price tag, for those who question certain features in the bill, think of the images we…

One of the most significant responsibilities afforded to Congress is the power of the purse, clearly stated in our Constitution.

This is, in my serious opinion, one of the most pressing issues facing the Congress of the United States. And that is to get back to some regular order on budgets and appropriations.

Our nation's founding document makes clear that budgeting is not a secondary part of governance, but fundamental to it.

Providing for the common defense is, in my judgment, our highest constitutional duty.

I support building that wall.

Today we examine the President's budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services for Fiscal Year 2021.

Mandatory spending accounts for 70 percent of the federal budget.