Joe Baca: “I rise and urge the defeat of this previous question. It should come as no surprise to anyone in this country that…”

“I rise and urge the defeat of this previous question. It should come as no surprise to anyone in this country that Democrats and Republicans differ in their priorities for America. With the White House set to vote on the budget tonight, I as a Blue Dog oppose the majority party's misguided plan which will result in a staggering $10 trillion deficit by the year 2010. The Blue Dog 12-step reform plan is a comprehensive, responsible alternative to the meager attempt to reform and contain the Republican budget. The Blue Dog plan is based on a commitment to resolving the fiscal problems facing our country that includes a call for a balanced budget, strict spending plan, and a pay-as-you-go rule, especially establishing a rainy day justification. The budget resolution debated tonight will cut critical programs in order to pay for millionaire tax cuts, cuts to food stamps, the WIC program, the school lunch program, the breakfast program, student financial assistance, Community Development Block Grants, veterans health care, and funding to help local law enforcement, to name a few. I ask our colleagues to defeat this budget. We need to help those poor and disadvantaged, our veterans, our health block grants, and students who need an education.”