Trent Lott: “I question whether or not this is a real, honest budget projection. What is alarming about the projections that we have…”

“I question whether or not this is a real, honest budget projection. What is alarming about the projections that we have here is that they do not include funding for health care. We have heard Chairman Danny Rostenkowski... saying the health care reform package could cost $40 billion or more. He has suggested not once, but repeatedly, that what we need is a new, broad-based tax increase to pay for it. But even the President has indicated he probably does not want to go along with that... If we do not have the tax increases and we have a health care plan passed this year that costs $40 billion, clearly, it would add to the deficit. Additionally, welfare reform is not included. Obviously, welfare reform is something we should try to do this year; we need a more responsible program.”