Barbara Boxer: “Here is the problem. The people in my State are saying the same thing: Roll up your sleeves and attack the problems.…”

“Here is the problem. The people in my State are saying the same thing: Roll up your sleeves and attack the problems. Because, guess what. I remember when this budget was balanced, when Bill Clinton was President. It took literally a few months before George W. Bush gave a tax break and put it on the credit card, two wars on the credit card, and the debt was off and running. But put that aside, we are where we are. Does my friend not think if we could get into a conference--and I know a lot of us here have been in tough conferences--that is where we would roll up our sleeves? I say Patty Murray and Paul Ryan are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Why would my friend want to give instructions--of course, I would love to give instructions. I would like to give instructions the richest of Americans pay the same effective tax rate as their secretaries. I would love to do that. I would love to order that, but I wouldn't do that. Let Patty Murray and Paul Ryan and the respective committees get in there, in an open process, and come back. Doesn't my friend understand what he is calling for, when he says roll up your sleeves and get to work, is exactly what Senators Murray, McCain, Collins, and lots of us want to do, those of us who believe we need to use regular order? Can my friend comment on that?”