On the recordJune 4, 2015
The bill that is in front of us is a responsible bill that adheres to the budget caps set by law and passed by this body. We set priorities in this bill, and we made targeted cuts to overhead, salaries, expenses, and also duplicative programs, Mr. Chairman. Many programs are also held at last year's level or below. Again, we made some tough decisions. The problem is, when you are doing, frankly, an across-the-board cut with this amendment, it would have some, frankly--and I know it is well intentioned--it would have some harmful effects on the priorities set by the Members of this House. Again, we have cut programs, but based on hearings, on meetings, on discussions, and on careful reviews of, again, the budget justifications and also the audits. This amendment, and I know it is very well intentioned, would hit, for example, air traffic control operations and cause unnecessary flight delays. It could hurt our most vulnerable populations by, for example, affecting assistance to over 50,000 residents, including elderly and disabled populations. Now, I am not telling you that there are not areas that can be reduced. We have done that. As a matter of fact, we have been in debate, and we have heard a lot of debate about some people saying that we have done too much of that. But we have done so after hours and hours of deliberations, of talking, of conversations, of study, and of hearings.…
