Sheldon Whitehouse actually said...

"And a tax expenditure of $1 has the same effect on the debt and the deficit as direct spending of a $1."

"But the only way that that becomes true is if, in fact, the tax reform proposal is deficit neutral."

"Is that correct?"

"The problem that I have with some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is they talk a really big game about the debt and the deficit."