Posted on 12/19/2005 8:55:00 AM PST by Gipper08
The year 2005 will be remembered as one of good intentions, bad disasters and promises kept. This spring, Congress adopted the toughest budget since the Reagan years and, under the leadership of Chairman Jerry Lewis, the Appropriations Committee reported one bill after another on time and on budget.
Then came the heartbreak that was Hurricane Katrina -- 90,000 square miles of the gulf coast destroyed. Congress responded by speeding relief and recovery funds totaling $60 billion in six days to rebuild the families and communities destroyed by this storm.
After the storm, many in Washington thought that fiscal discipline was the last thing Congress should be thinking about -- preferring raising taxes or the national debt to making tough choices. But not this majority.
Seeing that a catastrophe of nature could become a catastrophe of debt, dozens of House conservatives challenged the Congress to offset the cost of Hurricane Katrina with budget cuts. And I will always believe that their effort, known as 'Operation Offset,' sparked a national debate that propelled us to this moment.
The American people wanted Washington to pay for Katrina with budget cuts, and Washington got the message.
In direct response to President George W. Bush's call for offsets, Speaker Dennis Hastert unveiled the bold plan that we will consider tonight: to find budget cuts from every area of the federal government. And tonight, the Hastert plan, with an across-the-board cut and more than $40 billion in entitlement savings, will become a reality.
For Americans troubled by a rising tide of red ink in Washington, Christmas will come early this year as this Congress demonstrates the ability to make tough choices in tough times to put our fiscal house in order.
But with a national debt of $8 trillion, nearly $26,000 for every American, completing the task of putting our fiscal house in order will take time. And tonight the task begins.
In 1994, the American people said yes to a vision of fiscal discipline, limited government and reform. Some called it the 'Republican Revolution.' With the passage of this Deficit Reduction Act, including an across-the-board cut in federal spending, the 'Republican Revolution' is back.
Tonight the Congress will renew our commitment to the principles of fiscal discipline and limited government that minted this majority and, in so doing, begin the task of ensuring the continued prosperity of our nation for our children and grandchildren.
GOP Newsletter!
BTTT
What B.S. Spending is up, way up. Ridiculous new programs have been introduced that we can't afford. Nothing of any size has been cut. This isn't even spin, it's just a lie.
Welcome to the Republican Revolution.
maybe, maybe Not..
The budget was reopened and cut by 40 billion dollars.That is a great start.
Well, its got significantly more life in it than last month.
A great start, maybe. But not in and of itself a reason to pat ourselves on the back.
Maybe in Congress, for sure NOT in the Senate...
And when the job is done, we can say that the Republican Revolution is back.
They're reporting all this work yet to be done as complete. Given their track record of late, that is very premature.
It's the Other Big Stupid Government Party now.
You need to do some research on the RSC
http://www.house.gov/pence/rsc/
There is a battle being fought for the "soul" of our party and the ones on our side need our help.
What other accomplishments? Reopening the budget is nothing more than agreeing to discuss fixing their own mistakes. But what other accomplishments rival implementing the Contract?
I never heard that particular quote.
The budget was reopened and cut by 40 billion dollars.That is a great start.
Isn't it true that these "cuts" are nothing more than reductions in the rate of growth and 90% are only "projected" reductions in future budgets?
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