Ron Kind: “I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding to me at this time. Mr. Speaker, this is truly embarrassing. I don't…”

“I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding to me at this time. Mr. Speaker, this is truly embarrassing. I don't even think ``Saturday Night Live'' could come up with a skit of this nature. Here we are today debating a constitutional amendment to balance the budget on the heels of one of the most fiscally reckless tax cuts in this Nation's history, which the Congressional Budget Office just estimated will increase our national debt by over $2 trillion over the next 10 years. Eighty-three percent of the benefit is going to the wealthiest 1 percent. What relief is being delivered to working families disappears in 5 years. This also came on the heels of a 2-year budget that exceeds the current spending caps by over $300 billion. Now, don't take my word for it. Consider what Republican Senator Bob Corker recently said, who was the deciding vote in the Senate on that tax cut: ``If it ends up costing what has been laid out here, it could well be one of the worst votes I've made.'' ``None of us have covered ourselves in glory. This Congress and this administration likely will go down as one of the most fiscally irresponsible administrations and Congresses that we've had.'' Republican Senator Bob Corker. Now, listen, I have supported a balanced budget amendment in the past, but I have done it primarily as a check against reckless Republican spending.…”