Orrin Hatch: “I wish to express my deep disappointment in the budget resolution conference report. It is a deceptive and defective…”

“I wish to express my deep disappointment in the budget resolution conference report. It is a deceptive and defective declaration of flawed priorities that ignores this country's biggest challenges. If we follow this budget through to its natural conclusion, it will lead us from our current path of economic growth and prosperity onto a treacherous road to tax increases, economic recession, and needless pain for millions. While there are many things to lament about this budget, I will concentrate my remarks on just three aspects of it--three features that I believe will hurt the families of my home State of Utah. First, this budget opens the door to large increases in spending in both discretionary and in mandatory programs. On the discretionary side--these are the funds that must be appropriated each year--the budget resolution calls for an increase of $205 billion over what the President has requested over the next 5 years. And keep in mind, the President's budget represents an increase over spending in the current year. In fact, President Bush requested a 2-percent increase in discretionary spending for fiscal year 2008, but resolution before us represents an increase of 8 percent. This type of large spending increase hurts Utahns for years to come.”