[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010

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                               speech of

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union for the consideration of the concurrent resolution 
     (H. Con. Res. 85) setting forth the congressional budget for 
     the United States Government for fiscal year 2010 and 
     including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 
     2009 and 2011 thruogh 2014:

  Mr. KIND. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H. Con Res. 85, the 
Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2010.
  Budgets are all about priorities. This budget makes it clear that the 
priorities of this Congress are the priorities of the American people. 
During the greatest economic crisis our country has seen in a 
generation, the budget before us starts us on a pathway to recovery.
  The resolution makes critical investments in education, health care 
reform, and energy independence that are necessary to restore our 
economy and put the country in a position to remain globally 
competitive. Additionally, the budget begins the tough work of 
returning to responsible fiscal policies.
  This budget builds off of the strong commitment Congress made earlier 
this year in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which 
provided approximately $53 billion for the Department of Education, 
with further support for early childhood education, the tools to 
achieve high standards for elementary and secondary school students, 
and efforts to help more Americans obtain a college degree. By 
investing in our children, we are investing in our future and the 
prosperity of our country.
  I remain convinced that in order to turn our country's economy 
around, we must transform our outdated, inefficient, and costly health 
care system. This budget commits to doing so. Not only does the budget 
resolution make critical investments in medical research and 
innovation, it also provides a framework for comprehensive health 
reform. I look forward to working with the Speaker to achieve this 
critical goal.
  It is clear that if our country wants to remain competitive, 
modernizing our health care system is not our only challenge. We also 
must reduce our dependence on foreign oil. This addiction does not just 
undermine our national security, but it threatens our environment. The 
energy challenges our country faces are severe and have gone 
unaddressed for far too long. Although there were significant 
investments and tax incentives made in ARRA, this budget goes further 
by supporting more renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. 
Finally, the budget includes instructions on legislation that will 
promote energy independence over the long run.
  Finally, and most importantly, this budget cuts the deficit in half 
in just over four years. In 2001, the previous Administration inherited 
record budget surpluses--$5.6 trillion projected over ten years--but 
squandered it all and more, leaving a record deficit of over $1 
trillion for 2009 alone. The President did a very tough and honorable 
thing this year when he presented his budget to Congress with an honest 
assessment of our financial situation, marking a return to budgeting 
and fiscal responsibility principles that will help get our fiscal 
house back in order.
  Serious and swift government action was absolutely needed at the 
beginning of the year to help put our economy on the road to recovery, 
but now that ARRA has passed it is equally as important to start 
addressing unfunded obligations we will have down the road. I have long 
been a proponent of a fiscal commission to examine our long term fiscal 
obligations and make legislative recommendations to Congress. I fully 
supported the bipartisan budget summit earlier this year and was happy 
to participate in the meetings. I know the President is as committed to 
this issue as I am and I look forward to working with him further on 
solving our long term fiscal challenges. This budget is a good step in 
the right direction.
  The Budget Resolution before us today makes the tough decisions to 
get our economy and country back on track. I urge my colleagues to vote 
yes on this common sense responsible Budget Resolution.

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