[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 44 (Thursday, March 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S3039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               THE BUDGET

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, yesterday I noted that in the middle 
of the current economic crisis, the administration's budget spends too 
much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. Yesterday I focused 
primarily on the fact that it spends too much. This morning I wish to 
expand a little bit more on that issue.
  As I noted yesterday, the current Congress is on a remarkable 
spending binge. In the first 50 days of the new administration, 
Congress has approved more than $1.2 trillion in spending which 
translates into $24 billion a day, or $1 billion every hour since 
Inauguration Day. The budget, which we just learned about a while back, 
continues that trend.
  Earlier this week, Congress approved a Government spending bill that 
increased spending by 8 percent over last year, about double the rate 
of inflation. The budget proposes another spending increase over last 
year's budget of an additional 8 percent. A lot of people are wondering 
why, in the midst of a recession, when millions of Americans are losing 
jobs and homes, the administration is proposing to spend tax dollars as 
if we are in the middle of the dot.com boom.
  According to the administration's budget plan, the State Department 
sees a 41-percent increase in spending next year--a 41-percent increase 
in spending at the State Department. HUD sees an 18-percent increase.
  The budget also proposes a ``slush fund'' for climate policy that 
will be larger than the entire annual budgets at the Department of 
Labor, Treasury, and Interior. Let me say that again: A slush fund for 
climate policy that will be bigger than the budgets of the Department 
of Labor, Treasury, and Interior.
  Americans want reform in education, health care, energy, and other 
areas, but they want the administration to fix the economy first. That 
is the first priority. At this point we seem to be getting proposals on 
everything but the financial crisis. That is what is crippling our 
economy.
  This budget spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. If 
we want to earn the confidence of the American people for our programs 
and plans, the first thing we need to do is to get this excessive 
spending under control.

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