[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 59 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015

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                               speech of

                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 8, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H. Con. Res. 96) 
     establishing the budget for the United States Government for 
     fiscal year 2015 and setting forth appropriate budgetary 
     levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024:

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Chair, I will vote for the budget proposal 
framework put forth by Chairman Paul Ryan.
  I vote to reaffirm my support for the principles behind the 
bipartisan Ryan Murray budget agreement;
  For efforts to simplify our nation's tax code to make it simpler and 
fairer for all involved;
  For repeal of the president's misguided and unworkable health care 
law;
  For efforts to reign in the president's wasteful spending proposals 
and burdensome regulations, which are preventing our economy from 
reaching its full potential;
  For efforts to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the 
support they need;
  For efforts to responsibly reduce our $17 trillion plus debt, which 
is a national security concern;
  And for efforts to balance our nation's budget--the President's 
budget proposal never achieves balance.
  Mr. Chair, I will vote for efforts to reform our entitlement programs 
to ensure that they are preserved and protected for future generations. 
This budget proposal is a thoughtful document that forces the Congress 
to face reality--these programs, which are on autopilot, are simply 
unsustainable in their current form.
  And we must reform these programs because they consume roughly two 
thirds of our nation's spending. We must preserve our ability to 
quickly respond to any crisis, foreign or domestic, while still 
ensuring we have the ability to make the needed investments that will 
spur economic private industry growth and ingenuity.
  Just like the bipartisan Ryan Murray budget agreement, I do not agree 
with every line in this budget framework, and I will work to improve 
any future legislation that may be considered as a result of its 
adoption. But I do agree that we have a duty to offer ideas in the 
public sphere. I will vote yes because our fiscal challenges are real, 
and they must be addressed.

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