On the recordSeptember 26, 2023
First, it was that we are cutting it to FY 2000 levels, then it was 2001 levels. Now, they raised the ante. It is FY 2003 levels. The FY 2003 funding level in this bill was $17.55 billion. I will remind all the Americans watching that 17.5 is less than 22.5. In fact, we are $5 billion above that. We are not cutting spending to FY 2003 levels. Now, maybe the next speaker will suggest 2005, 2007. If they get to FY 2019, pre-COVID, yes, we are. The floor leader on the other side of the aisle said Republicans talk of everything going up. Mr. Chair, if that were true, if it were only Republicans that talk of everything going up, we would be getting 95 percent of the vote in America because everybody is talking about everything going up. You can't go anywhere without someone saying they have to pay $4.80 a gallon for diesel, or they have to pay so much for milk, pay $2 for a loaf of bread that they used to pay $1.20 for. It is not Republicans talking about that. We are just listening to what Americans say. That is why we are returning spending to the pre- COVID levels. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
