On the recordFebruary 18, 2011
I thank my friend across the aisle for the time. I thought the across-the-board cuts were not supposed to apply to national security. I thought we were going to make cuts like the folks back home make cuts. If a family back home gives an across-the-board 5 percent cut and they apply it, they are in deep trouble. They might be able to cut back on their entertainment. They might be able to not go out to eat an extra night. They may be able to cut back on their water or their electric usage. But if they pay their mortgage company 5 percent less than is due for the security over their head, they are out on the street; and they end up in bigger problems than they started. So I think that's why we need to make these cuts surgically in our budget. Let's take NASA, for example. The committee already cut over $300 million from the NASA budget. The Weiner amendment cut $300 million more almost. Why would anyone want to yield the ultimate military high ground, which is space, to countries who in the very best of times are not friendly to us? Space is the free world's Golan Heights. I implore my colleagues to help defeat this very, very well-intended, but misguided, amendment. Thank you very much.
