Mike Pence: “back in Indiana when a tree falls on your house, first you tend to the wounded; then you start to clean up; then you sit…”

“back in Indiana when a tree falls on your house, first you tend to the wounded; then you start to clean up; then you sit down and figure out how you are going to pay for it. Well, tonight, thanks to the leadership of Speaker Hastert, in the aftermath of having spent over $60 billion in 6 days to meet the real needs of the families and communities affected by Hurricane Katrina, tonight Congress is going to figure out how to pay for it. In the Deficit Reduction Act, Congress will achieve more than $50 billion in savings over the next 5 years to offset the extraordinary cost of Hurricane Katrina. While this is an important first step in restoring fiscal discipline, there is still work to be done. As has been said by my colleagues in the Democratic Party tonight, with an $8 trillion national debt, with more spending on hurricane relief just around the corner, it is imperative that we not only pass the Deficit Reduction Act but that we move immediately on to the other serious work, to look for an across-the-board cut in this year's budget, ensuring that the cost of Hurricane Katrina will be borne by the entirety of our Federal priorities. We must do more, but we dare not do less. Tonight we will do that which is of first importance: we will begin the process of putting our fiscal house in order. President John F. Kennedy said it best when he said: ``To lead is to choose.'' And this is such a moment.…”