For Immediate Release
May 21, 2008
Media Contact: Ray Yonkura
(202) 225-2676
Jordan Assails Democrat Budget
Washington, DC -- Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) today blasted a Democrat-sponsored budget conference report that calls for the largest tax increase in American history.
“Once again, Congress has its priorities all wrong,” said Jordan, a member of the House Budget Committee. “In uncertain economic times, with rising energy and food prices, Congress should be putting the federal budget on a diet instead of feeding it.”
Jordan noted that the $3.1 trillion budget proposal would require nearly $700 billion in new taxes, an amount that would be the largest tax increase in American history.
“People talk about the tax-and-spend mindset of Washington, but this Congress has a spend-and-tax problem as well,” Jordan quipped. “There are a number of challenges facing our country. We need oil exploration to reach energy independence, we need a concerted effort to secure our borders against illegal immigration, we need stronger protective measures in place to thwart terrorism, and we need to get our country’s fiscal house in order.”
“Solutions to these challenges require a bold, first step,” Jordan added. “Holding the line on federal spending is the direction we need to head. This budget doesn’t do it, so our fight for fiscal responsibility will continue.”
Following are Jordan’s prepared Floor remarks on the budget proposal.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the bloated budget conference report brought forth by the majority.
In this time of economic uncertainty, with record-high energy prices, with the cost of food and fuel taking an increasing share of the family budget, Congress has a moral responsibility to find ways to tighten its belt.
Rather than spending in its usual lavish way, Congress should be laser-focused on cutting wasteful and duplicative spending from the federal budget in order to lower taxes and let American families and businesses keep more of what they earn.
This budget--by far the largest in human history--does the exact opposite.
This massive new budget requires the largest tax increase in human history to fund it.
This budget aims to spend $100,000 per second, $6 million per minute, and $350 million per hour, every day for a year.
It spends more than $23,000 per American family--again, a record amount.
But does the average American family feel like they’re getting their twenty-three thousand dollars’ worth from their federal government?
Madam Speaker, I submit to you that this reckless, out-of-control spending is not only unneeded--it has also put us on a path for economic disaster.
I will be the first to admit that Congress’s spending problem wasn’t created overnight, and the blame for it does not lie in the lap of a single political party.
In terms of real FY2000 dollars--real dollars--Congress has quadrupled spending over my lifetime, with both parties sharing the blame. Our priorities have shifted dramatically away from national defense and toward entitlement spending.
Madam Speaker, it has become clear to me that here in Congress, the dials are set to “spend.”
I think back to the amendments I offered in this body last year. These nine amendments would have saved taxpayers $23 billion simply by asking federal agencies to hold the line on spending.
The amendments were defeated on party-line votes, with members of the majority claiming that the sky would fall without massive increases in federal spending--often at three or more times the rate of inflation.
But, as you remember, the government managed to survive the first three months of this fiscal year on a continuing resolution--living on last year’s budget--without consequence to federal programs or the American people.
The American people are ready for change. They are tired of the reckless spending that happens in the halls of their Congress. They demand that we stand up and do the right thing. I urge my colleagues to join me in rejecting this conference report in favor of a more conservative, fiscally responsible budget that respects the taxpayers and families we represent.
