Don Nickles: “The Senator could add $4.9 billion because it says it would increase spending by $4.9 billion for 2005. If we add that…”

“The Senator could add $4.9 billion because it says it would increase spending by $4.9 billion for 2005. If we add that to $13 billion, that is taking a $13 billion program to an $18 billion program. My very able staff did very good work. I think that is 48 percent. Again there has to be some kind of limit. I happen to like the idea of doing some good things in Pell grants. We have assumed a 7.4-percent increase, almost $1 billion increase for Pell grants in 1 year. My colleague and friend from Massachusetts wants to multiply that times five. I do not think we can afford that. His amendment also says, well, we want to raise taxes to do it and would raise taxes by $9.8 billion. I also want to say this is kind of clever, but it does not sell. Many of our colleagues' amendments say we are only increasing taxes 1 year to pay for the spending 1 year. There is no way in the world if the taxes and spending are increased by $4.9 billion in 1 year that is not going to be continued or to be assumed. So I mention, yes, that tax increase would be extended year after year and so would the spending increase. I want to warn taxpayers, there are a lot of amendments out here. We are going to start voting on these amendments momentarily.”