Donald Norcross: “I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I come from a Democratic statehouse where we had to find common ground…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I come from a Democratic statehouse where we had to find common ground with a Republican Governor in order to make a budget pass that made sense. Now I sit on the Budget Committee as a freshman here in Washington where we are asked to vote on a budget that makes no sense at all. We all agree that students are now saddled with too much debt, and certainly my colleagues across the aisle want to cut $220 billion from education funding, freeze Pell grants, and limit students' access to loan programs. That doesn't make sense. We all agree that we need to create jobs and get businesses to reinvest here in America, and the best way to do that is to invest here, in ourselves, in America. Yet their budget provides no new resources to upgrade our transportation and water systems, expand access to high speed Internet, or harden our electric grid, which is at risk. That doesn't make sense. Instead, I urge my colleagues to vote for the Democratic alternative that will provide the tools students and families will need to survive and succeed in our economy, create jobs by investing in research and infrastructure, properly fund a strong national defense, and make good on our promise to our seniors by strengthening Medicaid and Social Security. That makes sense. This is why I am asking for my colleagues to join with me and vote for the Democratic alternative. {time} 1545”