[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 64 (Tuesday, May 8, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H2336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REPUBLICAN BUDGET
(Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, Democrats are committed to reducing the
deficit in a balanced way. In contrast, Republicans will bring up a
bill this week that breaks our bipartisan agreement, erasing the hard
work on both sides to reach compromise. This was the agreement that
resulted in us allowing to raise the debt ceiling and put in place the
supercommittee that could have reached a more balanced approach to
budgeting, with both revenues and budget cuts. But my Republican
colleagues rejected increased revenues that were needed.
This wasn't simply a gentleman's agreement that was arrived at that
will put in place sequester. This compromise was signed into law as our
pledge to each other and to the Nation to work together to solve our
most challenging issues.
Republicans are reneging on that agreement. They've decided that
cutting the programs which would help heat my constituents' homes, put
food on their tables, and send their children to college is the right
approach to rebuilding a strong economy. They've decided that denying
health coverage to thousands of Americans is better than repealing tax
cuts to millionaires. They've decided that going it alone is more
important than working with Democrats.
Democrats have a plan to put our fiscal house back in order. It's
been 500 days since the GOP took over and we're still waiting for
theirs. We can do better, and I urge them to work with us.
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