Rodney Frelinghuysen: “Our bill already cuts nearly $1 billion from the President's request. We're below 2009 levels. We're actually pretty…”

“Our bill already cuts nearly $1 billion from the President's request. We're below 2009 levels. We're actually pretty close to 2008 levels. And the last time I checked, we're in the year 2012. Spending levels for non-security-related accounts are brought down by more than $800 million from last year's level. And while difficult trade-offs had to be made to get to that level, our bill did the hard work to balance our highest priorities and serve the Nation's most pressing needs. Unfortunately, the amendment proposes an across-the- board cut on many programs, not all programs as the gentleman from South Carolina states, but on many programs that actually serve pressing needs. Our bill cuts energy efficiency and renewable energy by 24 percent but preserves programs that can address gas prices and help keep manufacturing jobs here at home. That's the focus of the bill: lower gas prices of the future; keep jobs here at home. This amendment would jeopardize those objectives. Our bill funds fossil energy research that ensures a secure domestic supply of electric and lower gas prices in the future. The amendment indiscriminately cuts many of the activities, many programs. Our bill funds science research, which is a key component of keeping America competitive. The amendment would do harm to that program. The amendment even cuts funds to the operation of our Strategic Petroleum Reserve, severely curtailing our government's ability to respond to real emergencies.…”