On the recordJanuary 5, 2011
I felt compelled to come to the floor of the House now because the Republican rules package is asking us to vote on a huge deception of the American people. Over the last year, we have had a robust debate about deficits and debt in this country, and yet the first significant vote the Republicans are asking us to vote on will add to burgeoning deficits and debt. Here is a good example: No matter how you feel about the health reform law, the nonpartisan CBO says that that health reform law will cut the deficit by $143 billion over the next few years. What the Republican rules package says is, when they bring up repeal of health reform next week, they are not going to count that money; they are going to add that again to the debt. So the first significant vote they are asking us to take on the floor is one that will set us on a course to adding $143 billion to the deficit and debt. I urge everyone to oppose the rules package.
