[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 23971]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           REFORMING OUT-OF-CONTROL FEDERAL SPENDING PROGRAMS

  (Mr. HENSARLING asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HENSARLING. Madam Speaker, this week the House will begin work on 
reconciliation, which is a way that we begin to reform out-of-control 
spending programs in order to help pay for the hurricane relief. There 
are only three ways that we can pay for this hurricane relief. Either, 
number one, we are going to raise taxes on the American people yet 
again, we are going to pass debt on to our children, or we are going to 
find a way to moderate the growth of Federal programs.
  The Democrats say that this is tantamount to massive cuts that will 
hurt the poor. Madam Speaker, next year's budget is going to be greater 
than this year's budget, which was greater than last year's budget.
  What we call mandatory spending, which encompasses most of these 
welfare programs, mandatory spending is going to grow at a rate of 6.3 
percent as opposed to 6.4. I believe only an accountant for Enron would 
call that a cut.
  Also, Madam Speaker, the best way to help the poor is through 
paychecks, not welfare checks. And under the economic policies of this 
administration, 4 million new jobs have been created with a future. We 
have the highest rate of homeownership in the history of America and 
unparalleled economic growth.

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