Gary Franks: “I am for dismantling the Great Society programs and the Roosevelt New Deal, but I do not believe that the solution is…”

“I am for dismantling the Great Society programs and the Roosevelt New Deal, but I do not believe that the solution is merely to cut, cap, or pass the buck to the States. No, we cannot legislate on appropriation bills, but we have yet to offer alternatives as Republicans. Mr. Speaker, I have struggled to support the rescission bill. As a loyal Republican with one of the highest conservative ratings, and with a strong desire to reduce our deficit, I want to support this bill, but I regrettably, Mr. Speaker, cannot in its present form. It troubles me that cuts, caps, and passing the problems off to the States, the Pontius Pilate approach to governing, a policy that we have taken of late, seems to disproportionately affect the elderly, women, African-Americans, and other minorities, veterans, and children. Approximately 90 percent of the appropriation cuts have come from only 2 of the 13 appropriation subcommittees. The rule confines amendments to the same two areas. Where is the fairness? It saddens me, when discussions rescissions, that the weakest links in our chain are the first to be affected.”