[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               THE BUDGET

  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I rise this morning to respond to the 
ranking member of the Budget Committee, who came out a few moments ago 
to talk about the budget. We are in the process right now of putting 
together this year's budget. It will be voted on in committee today or 
tomorrow and, of course, then out here on the floor. We will have a lot 
of floor time over the next week to discuss the budget.
  I felt it was really important to set the record straight because it 
is that rhetorical time again when we will hear our colleagues on the 
other side of the aisle come out and say Democrats are tax-and-spend 
liberals. Let me set the record straight.
  Last year's budget had a $180 billion tax cut in it--not for the 
wealthiest Americans but for hard-working middle-class Americans.
  We worked very hard to put together a fiscally responsible budget. We 
are not going to sit here and listen to ``tax and spend'' thrown at us 
time and time again when, in reality, with the Democratic President 7 
years ago we came into the time with a budget that had a surplus, which 
we soon saw diminished incredibly, and we are now in deficit spending 
because of an irresponsible tax cut the Republicans have been pushing 
for the wealthiest of Americans, which even Senator John McCain didn't 
vote for at the time. It did leave us without the capacity to make sure 
we had the investments we needed to be able to ensure that Americans 
can stay in their homes; that they can have roads they can drive on to 
get to work; that they can make sure their children have the kind of 
education they need so they can get a job and contribute back to this 
country; and, importantly, to take care of our veterans who are coming 
home from Iraq and Afghanistan and finding long waiting lines at our 
medical facilities and not getting the adequate care they need.
  The budget that the Budget chair will present this afternoon is, once 
again, a fiscally responsible document that understands the needs of 
Americans and will make sure we are responding to the crisis we are in 
today in this country and invest in America's people. It is fiscally 
responsible. It is not about tax cuts or tax increases, it is about 
making sure we have the revenues available to make sure every single 
American today has the opportunity that is available for them, that 
dream that they can live to be a strong American citizen and to keep 
our communities and America strong.
  So I reject the argument that we all hear thrown at us time and again 
that Democrats are ``tax-and-spend'' liberals. We are fiscally 
responsible Democrats, and we are proud of it.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas is recognized.
  Mr. PRYOR. Madam President, as I understand, we are still in morning 
business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.
  Mr. PRYOR. I ask unanimous consent that we yield back the time, and 
it is my understanding that more Senators would like to speak this 
morning.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. PRYOR. I thank the Chair.

                          ____________________