Charles W. Stenholm: “I rise in support of the Crapo amendment. I commend the gentleman, and also the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Harman]…”

“I rise in support of the Crapo amendment. I commend the gentleman, and also the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Harman] and the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Brewster] for the bulldogged work that they have provided this year to see that we have a chance to vote on this tonight. I have had an interest in the lockbox idea for several years myself. In fact, Tim Penny, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Kasich], and I included in our commonsense budget reform bill last year, but this provision was one of only four of our provisions that the House did not approve. This amendment would simply guarantee that spending cuts we approve as part of any appropriation bills could be designated for deficit reduction, a novel idea. Having watched year after year after year spending cuts voted in the House never ever, ever becoming true spending cuts, to say that we are a little bit excited about the possibility this time in spite of the fact that this is the second time this year we have done this, perhaps this time we are going serious and that this will not only pass tonight but that it will receive the full and complete support which it deserves and see that it in fact becomes the law of this House. This is a commonsense legislative effort. When Congress votes for cuts, we should not deceive the American public or ourselves about what those cuts mean. Citizens assume a cut means a reduction in the deficit, not just a reshuffling of funds as has always been the case.”