Mike Pence: “on Tuesday, President Bush laid out a bold vision for answering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina with generosity and…”

“on Tuesday, President Bush laid out a bold vision for answering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina with generosity and fiscal discipline, saying as he did in the Rose Garden, ``We here in Washington have got a vital role to play in the recovery and reconstruction efforts on the gulf coast.'' The President said, ``I've made that clear.'' He went on to say, ``I've also made it clear we must do it in a fiscally responsible way. Congress needs to pay for as much of the hurricane relief as possible by cutting spending.'' The President added, ``I'll work with Members of Congress to identify offsets to free up money for the reconstruction efforts,'' and closed with the statement, ``The heart of America is big enough to be generous and responsible at the same time.'' Mr. Speaker, I agree. Let us heed the President's call for fiscal discipline and generosity. It is accurate to state that the President's call for reducing spending and finding offsets is of incalculable value to those of us fighting to respond to the needs of this disaster without raising taxes or adding to the national debt. Let us heed the President's call. Let us make the tough choices. Let us pay for the cost of Katrina by reducing the size and scope of government. ____________________”