Herb Kohl: “with this week's debate on the budget resolution, I believe the Senate has moved a giant step closer to implementing a…”

“with this week's debate on the budget resolution, I believe the Senate has moved a giant step closer to implementing a balanced budget. We are no longer debating whether we should balance the budget. We are actually choosing between three separate, complete balanced budget proposals: the Republicans' budget resolution, the President's balanced budget submission, and the centrist coalition's bipartisan budget plan now pending as an amendment. The President's plan has already been defeated in a party line vote-- not a surprising result in an election year. We now have to decide whether to adopt the Republicans' budget or the only bipartisan balanced budget plan presented in the Senate. If we are serious about setting the course for a balanced budget this year, I think we must choose the centrist plan. The Republicans' budget, as Yogi Berra said, is 'deja vu all over again.' It is virtually identical to last year's vetoed budget bill. The Republican budget puts forth the same plan that was rejected last year by the public and the President. This is the plan that guided us through a year of vetoes, gridlock, Government shutdowns, and stopgap spending measures. Mr. President, we have a chance to redeem ourselves in the eyes of the American public. They have seen 2 years of partisanship, bickering, and gridlock.”