Louise Slaughter: “I will offer an amendment to this unfair and undemocratic closed rule. Democrats are seeking to make in order two…”

“I will offer an amendment to this unfair and undemocratic closed rule. Democrats are seeking to make in order two amendments to the budget resolution. The first is a trigger amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), and the second is the Moore-Stenholm-Tanner-Matheson substitute that the majority on the Committee on Rules refused to make in order. The Moran trigger amendment prohibits the Congress from adopting any budget resolution next year if it does not project a surplus within 5 years. Democrats have offered a vehicle in this trigger amendment that can force the institution to face up to the facts. The majority has spent some time today complaining that no substitutes were offered in the Committee on Rules. I beg to differ. The gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moore) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), along with the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson), offered a substitute that establishes a budget plan for fiscal discipline. Yet, the Committee on Rules failed to make it in order. Our amendment to the rule would correct this serious failing. Last year, Mr. Speaker, the President and every House Republican leader promised that every dollar of Social Security and Medicare trust funds would be saved for Social Security and Medicare.”