Mike Levin: “this budget agreement can be summed up in four words: Bad process, good result. There is an old saying about how people…”

“this budget agreement can be summed up in four words: Bad process, good result. There is an old saying about how people with weak stomachs should never watch sausage or laws being made. The process we are following today gives sausage makers a bad name. The process by which we arrive at today's budget agreement is indefensible. This year--for the first time in the 24-year history of the Budget Act--the House and Senate failed to agree on a budget resolution. More than half of the thirteen regular appropriation bills were never completed. The majority dragged its feet all year on scores of other important matters. Whether it's providing emergency funding to deal with the year 2000 computer problem and natural disasters, or recapitalizing the IMF, or extending critical tax provisions like the research and development tax credit, the country's business shouldn't have to wait until the 11th hour. The breakdown in the budget process rests squarely on the shoulders of the majority and its leadership. The result is that we are considering a $500 billion, 4,000-page, catch-all bill, with no amendments allowed. This is no way to legislate. No thanks to the process, on balance, the budget agreement before us contains many of the priorities I have been fighting for this year. The agreement contains funding to begin hiring 100,000 new teachers to reduce class size in schools across America. It expands Head Start and provides for after school and child literacy programs.”