I am deeply concerned by our growing financial crisis and really deeply angered by the failure of this Senate to take any meaningful steps to address it. I am going to announce steps I will take to try to force this Senate to do its job…

I agree. As a matter of fact, we have heard reports that the Democratic caucus is debating a budget in closed door caucus meetings, and they have done that at least twice. This is now 6 weeks after the committee deadline to bring forward a…

Well, we cannot even have a discussion if a budget isn't brought up. I just had occasion to meet with the Finance Minister from Canada, and he told me they are bringing their corporate tax rate down to 15 percent or below. We are at 35…

I thank Senator Hatch. I have enjoyed sharing these thoughts. I will note again that we are looking at a period in history in which our systemic debt problem is greater, I believe, than any time in our history. World War II was serious…

This is true. It is dangerous to our country. We have gone 750 days without passing a budget in the Senate. I do believe if we took a poll of the American people, what percentage would one get if they were asked: Should the Congress of the…

Democratic leaders and the President talk a lot about a balanced approach to reducing our deficit. We believe in that approach. The Senator from Utah has indicated that. But I ask the Senator, what is the more balanced approach? Is the…

I think the Senator is right. This Senate is filled with remarkable people, but I think our colleagues on the other side are paralyzed, frankly, by the challenge of putting a plan on paper that can actually be examined, the numbers…

There is a danger economically, is there not, and a danger to growth, which we need desperately, if we keep raising taxes.

I ask unanimous consent that Senator Hatch and I be able to speak in a colloquy. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________

the Congressional Budget Act requires that Congress pass a budget by April 15. The Republican House has passed its budget. They stated their financial vision for the future in America. The Democratic Senate, however, has not passed a…

I couldn't agree more. When the President submitted his budget, Mr. Erskine Bowles, whom the President asked to chair the fiscal commission that was supposed to come up with a plan to help us get out of this fix, said the President's…

I ask Senator Hatch, for the people who may not understand, it is the chairman's responsibility to call a hearing and to begin a markup, and the minority is not able to call the committee into effect. So we do have to look to the chairman…