[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11335-11336]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CUT, CAP, AND BALANCE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, today Members of the House of 
Representatives will have a chance to stand up and be counted. They 
will show with their votes whether they believe in freezing 
Washington's current spending habits in place and raising job-killing 
taxes or whether they believe, as I do, that the reckless spending and 
debt of the past 2 years has brought us to this point of crisis, and 
that something serious must be done to rein it in without damaging a 
fragile economy with job-killing taxes.
  Frankly, it is that simple. Those who support cut, cap, and balance 
that the House takes up today will be voting for getting our fiscal 
house in order and against an unsustainable status quo. Those of us who 
have been calling for serious short- and long-term action to cut 
spending, rein in our debt, and preserve entitlements congratulate 
those who support it.
  We look forward to voting on the same legislation here in the Senate 
soon. Before we do, it is important to remember how far we have come in 
this debate. A few months ago, the President's primary goal was to 
raise the debt limit without any spending cuts or long-term fiscal 
reforms at all--nothing but more debt. Now he is claiming not only to 
support cuts but a proposal he likes to call ``a big deal.'' Anyone who 
has looked at the figures knows it is not. But the larger point here is 
that the American people have already won this debate. No one, not even 
the President, can claim to support the status quo anymore, even when, 
in fact, he does.
  But, of course, winning the debate is not nearly as important as 
achieving the reforms that are needed to convince the world we are 
actually serious about getting our fiscal house in order. That is why 
Republicans continue to hold out for significant reforms, and that is 
why we will continue to fight for serious, long-term reforms this week.
  Republicans have tried to persuade the President of the need for a 
serious course correction, but weeks of negotiations have shown that 
his commitment to big government is simply too great to lead to the 
kind of long-term reforms we need to put us on a path to both balance 
and economic growth. So we have decided to bring our case to the 
American people. The President recently cited a poll that suggests 
Americans want to see balance in this debate. I would point him to 
another poll showing nearly two out of three Americans want a balanced 
budget. That is what Republicans are fighting for.
  Today, Republicans in the House will vote on legislation that cuts 
government spending now, caps it in the future to the average of the 
last 40 years, and which will only allow for a raising of the debt 
limit if it is accompanied by a constitutional amendment to balance the 
Federal budget. Cut, cap, and balance is the kind of tough legislation 
Washington needs and that Americans want, and Republicans will spend 
the week trying to convince Democrats to join us in supporting it.
  Every single Republican in the Senate supports a balanced budget 
amendment. All we need is 20 Democrats to join us in supporting this 
commonsense legislation. At least 23 of our friends on the other side 
have said or suggested they support the idea and told their 
constituents that they will ``lead'' on the issue. We think they should 
have an opportunity to follow through on their statements with an 
actual vote.
  I will repeat what I said yesterday to my Democratic friends. If I 
were you, I would take a long look at the cut, cap, and balance 
legislation the House is taking up today and ask yourself the following 
question: Are you so committed to the status quo that you will vote 
``no'' on a bill to balance the Federal budget?
  I strongly urge my Democratic friends to join us in supporting the 
cut,

[[Page 11336]]

cap, and balance plan. The American people sent us here to make tough 
choices. Agreeing to balance the budget should not be one of them. This 
should be an easy one. I urge my colleagues in the strongest possible 
terms to join us. It is time to balance the books.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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