Gerald Kleczka: “I support the motion to instruct, and my Republican colleagues know full well that after their tax bill is vetoed, we…”

“I support the motion to instruct, and my Republican colleagues know full well that after their tax bill is vetoed, we are going to be back to precisely what we are talking about today, a tax cut which would give back about 25 percent of the projected, projected surplus. My good friend from Florida talks about funny money. The thing that is funny about the money is it is not here yet. I have heard this afternoon Members come up and say, give it back, it is not easy to balance the budget, but we did it. My friends and colleagues, as we close out this fiscal year, the budget is not in surplus, but in a $5 billion deficit, and for those who say, give it back, we do not have it. It is a projection over the next 10 years based on some very rosy assumptions, very low inflation. One economic downturn, Mr. Speaker, and those dollars will not be here. In fact, I said it before, and I will say it again. I have a better chance at winning the lottery than this government having a trillion dollars surplus over the next 10 years. We have had unheralded economic success over the last 4 years. To think it is going to continue for 14 and then for another 10 to make it 24 is totally absurd. The motion before us says, let us pay down the debt.”