Political Quotes

“I rise in support of H.R. 2003, the bipartisan Budget Enforcement Act. Without this legislation, the balanced budget agreement will be devoid of any enforcement mechanism, and it runs the danger of joining the many past well-intentioned and long since forgotten efforts to balance the budget. The truth is that once a balanced budget agreement is approved, history has demonstrated that it unravels as time passes and economic conditions change. Budget enforcement provisions are necessary to avoid this outcome and to ensure that we will follow-through on this agreement. The bill has been drafted to prevent problems that developed with past budget enforcement proposals. It is important to remember that we are proposing enforcement of an already existing budget agreement. We are not trying to bypass difficult future decisions. The act also applies evenly to all parts of the budget agreement, both spending and revenue provisions. And the bill provides flexibility in the case of changing economic circumstances. Mr. Speaker, these enforcement provisions should serve as a deterrent for any failure to meet the provisions of the balanced budget agreement.”