On the recordJanuary 20, 2011
The point that I am trying to make, and perhaps not as clearly as I need to make it, is that what we are in that resolution giving is to one person--one person--in this Congress the authority, without consideration by this House, to set the number, without hearings, on what we will, as you articulate, cap spending levels at for fiscal year 2011. As I understand it, there have been no hearings by the Budget Committee, no hearings by the Appropriations Committee, no hearings by the Ways and Means Committee, or by any other committee involved in fiscal matters as to what the ramifications of that cap will be to individual programs or individual Americans. I share the gentleman's view and have voted consistently, as I voted for the balanced budget amendment, as the gentleman knows, last we considered it, to bring our fiscal house into order. I think neither party can necessarily take sole responsibility for doing so or not doing so when it comes to fiscal balance. But I do tell my friend that, with respect to transparency and openness and to the inclusion of all the Members of the body, it is, I think, not consistent with that objective to give to one person, however brilliant that person is--and I happen to have great respect, as the gentleman knows and as I have said so publicly in the press, for Mr.…
