Xavier Becerra: “What are we doing today? Well, we have a bill from the majority today before us that would cost, during its first 10…”

“What are we doing today? Well, we have a bill from the majority today before us that would cost, during its first 10 years in effect, about $460 billion. But, it will not take effect for the next 7 years, so none of the benefits that are claimed under this marriage penalty protection take effect until 2011. So nothing goes to anybody today. But we are planning today to commit $460 billion starting in 2011, even when today we know we have a $100 billion deficit in today's, this year's, budget, and we know that every single dime out of the Social Security trust fund and the Medicare trust fund today, this year, is being used to pay for things that we do not have money to pay for yet because we have a $100 billion deficit. What else are we doing today? Well, Democrats today stood up and introduced their prescription drug plan for seniors under Medicare, one that would provide seniors, every senior, not just certain seniors, every senior, a prescription drug policy under Medicare. Where are our priorities?”