On the recordNovember 17, 2011
I thank the ranking member, Congresswoman Slaughter, for her incredible work and rise today, Mr. Speaker, to support the rule for fiscal year 2012 appropriations for agriculture, transportation, training and justice. Technically--or maybe untechnically--this bill is called the ``mini-bus.'' I completely commend the conferees for including language based on legislation we introduced directing additional resources for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's White- Collar Crime Division for Wall Street financial crime prosecution. Moreover, with the Federal deficit requiring our rigor, this mini bill makes difficult cuts, but also provides support for those most hurt by the current recession. Let me state for the record that the trillions of dollars of deficit being racked up in this country come from some pretty clear sources: first of all, two wars--the longest wars in American history, lasting over a decade now; also, the cost of unemployment to this economy caused by Wall Street malfeasance; and, finally, looking back, the tax cuts for the rich enacted during the last Bush administration that continue to rack up mounting deficits every year. It's very clear what's happening to cause the deficits. And then with the rising deficit, the cost of added interest is included in the debt total.…
