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Majority Leader Hoyer’s Statement on the President’s Comments on the Budget

WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement this morning concerning President Bush’s comments on the Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations bills and federal spending:

“Given the record budget deficits and spiraling debt that were triggered by his policies over the last six and one-half years, President Bush simply has no credibility when it comes to the issue of fiscal responsibility.

“The fact is, the President and the then-Republican majorities in Congress increased federal spending at twice the rate of the Clinton Administration – leading former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to write in his new book that Washington Republicans had abandoned the principle of fiscal discipline.  Thus, it’s no wonder the President is rightly defensive about his fiscal record, and clearly he is itching to veto appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2008 in a vain attempt to re-establish his bonafides with conservative groups.

“Today, however, Democrats in Congress are restoring fiscal discipline to our budget process.  The spending levels in our appropriations bills are reasonable and responsible, helping us restore a balanced budget by 2012.  In fact, Democrats are not now seeking to increase spending by unreasonable amounts; we are fighting to restore irresponsible cuts to key domestic programs that have been proposed by the President.

“The President needs to stop his political posturing over FY08 appropriations.  There is simply no reason that we cannot sit down and negotiate reasonable compromises on these bills.”

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