On the recordFebruary 15, 2011
The continuing resolution on the floor today represents the largest reduction in non-security discretionary spending in the history of the Nation. It funds the Federal Government for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year, but, most importantly, Mr. Chairman, it answers taxpayers' callings to right our Nation's fiscal ship, making specific, substantive and comprehensive spending reductions, cutting more than $100 billion, compared with the President's fiscal 2011 budget request. This CR reverses a trend of out-of-control Democrat spending over the last 2 years that has increased overall discretionary funding, including stimulus, by 84 percent in 2 years. Never before has Congress undertaken a task of this magnitude, but never before have we been faced with a deficit crisis of this scale. The government is borrowing over 40 cents of every dollar that it spends. Our constituents sent us a clear, decisive message in the last election. They want government to spend less, stop undue interference in American lives and businesses, and take action to create jobs and get our economy moving again. Through the Republican Pledge to America, we made the commitment to do just that, and today we offer the first step in fulfilling these promises by presenting a spending package to the American people that makes deep but manageable cuts in nearly every area of the government. This bill is about shared commitments and shared sacrifice.
