Paul Tonko: “Yes. In fact, I will offer my closing comments here, Representative Garamendi. You know, I think what you talk about in…”

“Yes. In fact, I will offer my closing comments here, Representative Garamendi. You know, I think what you talk about in choices are exactly what a budget is about. It's the priorities we establish, in a bipartisan fashion and a bicameral way, that enable us to go forward with the best blueprint that grows the most hope and promise for this Nation. If we can deliver that hope, we've done our job. This is about investing in the American Dream. It's about responding to that old, old adage within this Nation that you tether that American Dream here in this wonderful Nation, where people rightfully anticipate that if they play by the rules, they roll up their sleeves, they invest their talents and their skills and their intellect and their passions into work, they rightfully anticipate to taste success; and that allows them to have an equal shot at opportunity in this Nation. That has not been the guiding course. We have had an unlevel playing field. We have made choices that have penalized the great percentage of Americans; 95 to 98 percent of Americans have been impacted by some of these choices and priorities to the negative. And so it's important for us, I believe, to offer that dream, that American Dream, the underpinnings of support that it rightfully requires. The cost of a college education ought to be addressed by Washington.…”