Karen Thurman: “Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Caucus drafted a balanced energy plan that was paid for, the Markey-Stenholm-Sandlin-Frost…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Caucus drafted a balanced energy plan that was paid for, the Markey-Stenholm-Sandlin-Frost proposal, which should have had a chance to have been voted on today, but the House was denied the opportunity. My motion to recommit would provide that the tax benefits of the bill would be contingent on the availability of sufficient surpluses outside the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. I offered this language in the Committee on Ways and Means, but it was rejected. Today we are considering a $33 billion energy bill. You told us there is an energy crisis, and we had to respond. We want to respond responsibly. You have also said there is a Medicare crisis and a Social Security crisis, and I too want to resolve those crises, but how are we going to pay for their solution if we continue to spend money we do not have? You cannot pass this bill without invading the trust funds and breaking the promises made to the American people. You do not have to take my word for it. According to a Republican memo cited by the press, 'We are possibly already into the Medicare trust fund and are very close to touching the Social Security surplus in fiscal year 2003.' Just Monday, Treasury said that it would be borrowing $51 billion to pay for the tax rebate. So, instead of paying down debt, we are adding to debt in interest payments.”