Compassion and help for the poor and struggling amounts to more than just borrowing money and sending out more money in the form of checks.
The administration claims that the increased spending and debt will grow the economy, however.
Your budget would require people to send $1.1 trillion more to Washington at a time when the economy is already weak.
This budget, like the Senate budget, is not a balanced budget, nowhere close to being a balanced budget.
This plan is not balanced, even under the sophisticated understanding of balance propounded by the President.
You do not spend more money than you take in. That is what it means.
So it has been now 4 years since the Democratic-led Senate produced a budget.
We are now on a systemically dangerous path of debt.
We cannot continue on this course.
I would like to begin briefly by thanking Senator Casey for his collaboration in recommending these three nominees.
I appreciate also your timely scheduling of this hearing.