Steny Hoyer: “I rise, Mr. Chairman, because we talk about specific items. I want to follow up on the comments of the gentleman from…”

“I rise, Mr. Chairman, because we talk about specific items. I want to follow up on the comments of the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spence]. I am one of those who believes that both sides of the aisle are putting at risk defense. One side of the aisle argues that we need tax cuts. I would like to have tax cuts. The other side, my side, argues that we must pay attention to domestic priorities. My view is that our Nation will not be strong no matter how much defense we have if we do not pay attention to domestic priorities. This Nation is the wealthiest nation on the face of the Earth. Yet, I tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that we are reducing the portion of our GDP that we spend on both defense and domestic priorities since the 1950's. I say to my friends that they ought to listen to the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spratt]. It is not the Democrats who are trying to undermine defense and, in my opinion, not the Republicans. But other priorities are driving us to not pay attention to one of the primary responsibilities the Nation has, and that is ensuring the defense of its people.”