[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 166 (Tuesday, October 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H12158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SPENDING FOR CHIP VERSUS SPENDING IN IRAQ--THIS IS A QUESTION OF 
                               PRIORITIES

  (Mr. BRALEY of Iowa asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, the American people agree with the 
Democratic Congress: It is time to begin responsibly redeploying our 
troops from Iraq and investing much-needed funds here at home. Instead 
of beginning to spend less money in Iraq, the President is once again 
asking Congress to do more; a lot more.
  Just last week, President Bush increased his request for additional 
Iraq funding to a total of $189 billion next year, bringing the total 
cost for the war so far to over $800 billion. Yet, the President has 
never proposed any way to offset this massive spending; instead, 
sinking our Nation deeper into debt.
  This Democratic Congress and the American public have a different set 
of priorities. We believe in being fiscally responsible and implemented 
a pay-as-you-go system to stop piling debt on the backs of our Nation's 
children. That is why our children's health legislation, which helps 10 
million children receive the health care coverage they deserve, is 
fully paid for.
  Madam Speaker, the President's fiscal priorities are irresponsible 
and misplaced. He should be reducing the amount we are spending in Iraq 
so that we can again invest in domestic priorities, like children's 
health care.

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