Thursday, March 29, 2007
Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-05) joined her Democratic colleagues in passing a fiscally responsible budget resolution for the 2008 fiscal year. The budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 99) will produce a balanced budget within five years and provides tax relief to the middle class. The budget also invests in key priorities, providing $6.6 billion more than last year for veterans’ health care; $50 billion over five years for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP); and $7.9 billion over the President’s budget for education.
Following is the full text of Congresswoman Matsui’s floor statement on the budget, which passed 216-210:
“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this rule and to enthusiastically support this solid and balanced budget resolution. It invests in strategic priorities for the future, while putting the nation on the path to fiscal stability.
“In approaching this debate, I would ask that members and our constituents keep in mind that we are not starting from scratch. The previous leadership left us with a fiscal disaster that can’t be repaired overnight. But this budget gets us on the right track in a responsible and strategic way.
“That is governing. Governing is not easy; it requires making hard choices. But making hard choices today is better than Congress abdicating its responsibility to choose altogether. Because the alternative to making hard choices is passing debt onto tomorrow’s decision-makers—leaving our children and grandchildren with a diminished quality of life.
“With Pay-Go Rules, this budget draws a line in the sand: if you want new mandatory spending or tax cuts, find a way to pay for it. Shifting the burden on to the next generation is no longer an option under this budget.
“We are not going to eradicate the deficit as quickly as some would like. And we can’t spend as much on domestic priorities as some would like. But this budget gives us the type of solid foundation that will allow us to tackle our fiscal challenges, while still investing in the most important priorities.
“This budget recognizes that we need to invest in health care and education for our children. It recognizes that we must move to a clean energy economy by driving research and development, and by promoting scientific innovation. And that we must provide for our veterans who have served honorably and deserve the best care possible.
“Finally, this budget recognizes that the tax code should be fair for hard working families. And all of this is accomplished in a fiscally responsible manner, while ensuring the security of the nation.
“That is a tremendous achievement and I thank Chairman Spratt for his diligence in achieving an excellent legislative product. I urge my colleagues to provide the type of broad and enthusiastic support that it deserves.”
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