Betty Sutton: “Madam Speaker, budgets, more than anything else this government produces, are a statement of what matters to us and what…”

“Madam Speaker, budgets, more than anything else this government produces, are a statement of what matters to us and what does not. They are moral documents. They tell us to what degree we care to look after the old and protect the young. They indicate our responsibilities to commitments both abroad and here at home. They give life to our greatest dreams as a Nation. They are the hope we leave for our children and become the legacy we bestow upon our people. And they can be examples of great courage, or an absolution of Congress's responsibility to set priorities consistent with strengthening our people and our communities. Madam Speaker, as it concerns the budget, it has been a long 6 years for this Nation. The budget has been out of balance fiscally, and it has been out of balance with the needs of the American people. Just 6 years ago, we were looking at a projected $5.6 trillion surplus.…”