Russ Feingold: “I supported a motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to a point of order raised against the substitute amendment to…”

“I supported a motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to a point of order raised against the substitute amendment to H.R. 3090, even though there are a number of provisions in that amendment that are troubling. Just a few weeks ago, this body voted to provide emergency funding to the nation's airlines. We recognize the special situation caused by the terrorist attacks of September 11, and understood that if we failed to act, the consequences for those firms, and for the economy as a whole, could well have been devastating. At the time of that vote, I noted that we also needed to address the problems facing the workers in those firms. This legislation will do that, in part, and it will also provide assistance to other families who have been thrown out of work by the economic slowdown, and should provide the weakened economy with a boost. Unfortunately, a number of special interests have taken advantage of this human and economic adversity to advance their own agenda. The measure that passed the other body is teeming with special interest tax breaks that do little or nothing for the economy as a whole in the short term, and seriously jeopardize our long term budget position. The substitute amendment before us is vastly superior in this respect. It provides far more benefit for our economy in the short term, while minimizing the long term impact.”