On the recordDecember 15, 2010
We are going to spend $136 billion more than what we planned to spend before this agreement was made. We have no opportunity under regular order to offset that with less priority, less important items. So we have an amendment for the Senate to vote on. It is not pain free. It is painful. But it cuts $150 billion from Federal expenditures to pay for the additional Federal expenditures that will go out the door as a result of this bill. I actually believe every one of my colleagues in the Senate understands the jam we are in. Where I am confused is that when we bring cuts to the floor, not only do they not vote for the cuts, they do not offer alternative cuts. And you really cannot have it both ways. You cannot say you recognize the significant difficulty our country is in and turn around and vote against somebody making an effort to get us out of that jam and not offer other additional spending cuts for which to pay. We do not have that privilege any longer.
