On the recordMarch 1, 2011
I thank the Senator from Pennsylvania for working hard on this piece of legislation. It is very simple. No budget, no pay. That is it. We cannot have no function of government more important than passing a budget and keeping us going. The people have a right to expect that we will do our work. Social Security checks, if there is a shutdown, may not arrive on time. Veterans may not receive the benefits they have earned. Passports may not be issued. Superfund sites will not be cleaned up, and those are dangerous. Oil wells should be inspected. We see what happens when we do not do the functions of government; we pay, our people pay. Export licenses must be granted. Troops must be paid. Failing to keep the government open because of politics or because no one wants to listen to the other side and meet in the middle is a failure. All we are saying is treat Members of Congress and the President the same as other Federal employees. And no retroactive, back pay either. The bigger issue is the one I touched on; that is, what is the right way to approach this deficit problem. Clearly, we have to do it responsibly. Clearly, the American people want us to reduce this deficit. I want to reduce it. I have to say very proudly, not only did we reduce it under Bill Clinton but we had surpluses. This is the only time we ever had a surplus--a Democratic administration. OK? That is it. I do not need lectures from the other side of the aisle. Show me a time when they balanced the budget.
