GOP Lead Senate Debating Balanced Budget, In Stark Contrast To Unserious Tax-Hiking Obama Budgets & Years Of Nonexistant Democrat Budgets
Today in Washington, D.C. - March 24, 2015
The House convened at 9 AM today. IT then recessed and reconvened at Noon to consider House Resolutions and bills>
Being considered today:
H. Con. Res. 27 — "Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025."
H.R. 216 — "To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a Future-Years Veterans Program and a quadrennial veterans review, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Chief Strategy Officer, and for other purposes."
Yesterday, the House passed:
H. Res. 162 (348—48) — "Calling on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
H.R. 233 (Voice Vote) — "To allow reviews of certain families' incomes every 3 years for purposes of determining eligibility for certain Federal assisted housing programs."
H.R. 360 (297-98)— "To reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, and for other purposes."
The Senate reconvened at 10 AM today, and resumed consideration of S. Con. Res. 11, the budget resolution passed by the Senate Budget Committee. At noon the Senate began voting on the first amendment to the budget, offered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The Sanders amendment would raise taxes by nearly $500 billion to spend more money on infrastructure. That amendment was rejected by a vote of 45-52.
The Senate then began voting on another amendment offered by Sen. Sanders, which will be followed by a vote on an amendment from Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).
The Senate will recess between 12:30 and 2:15 PM. At 4:30 PM, additional votes on amendments to the budget resolution are expected.
Yesterday, the Senate voted 89-0 to confirm William Doyle to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner.
Under the new Senate Republican majority, the Senate is considering a budget, in sharp contrast to the previous Democrat majority’s record of refusing to debate a budget for four out of the last five years.
Democrats were so resistant to considering a budget that Sen. Harry Reid said in 2011, “There's no need to have a Democratic budget in my opinion… It would be foolish for us to do a budget at this stage.” In fact, the only year the Senate did consider a budget, in 2013, Democrats were forced to because of Republicans. National Journal explained, “The No Budget No Pay Act that House Republicans crafted in January [2013] . . . forced Senate Democrats to act on their first budget in four years by requiring that lawmakers' pay be withheld if the chamber did not pass a budget resolution by April 15.”
The new Republican majority, however, committed from the beginning to bring a budget to the floor. And this week, Senate Republicans are offering a budget that balances in ten years without resorting to tax increases and sets out reconciliation instructions to provide for repealing and replacing Obamacare.
Speaking on the Senate floor yesterday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “Americans know that Washington can’t tax away the challenges confronting us. And Americans know Washington can’t ignore away the problems confronting us either. Americans also know that every dollar spent on interest for the growing national debt is essentially wasted. Every dollar spent on interest is one less dollar for a Social Security check, or for helping those who truly need it, or for tax relief.
“That’s why the balanced budget before us is premised on a simple truth: that Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. I know that this can be hard for some politicians to acknowledge. But politicians have a duty to the American people to admit it.
“They owe it to the American people to explain why the kind of budget blueprints we’ve seen from the White House are just so unserious. President Obama’s budgets skip the tough choices, keep spending more money we don’t have, contain massive tax increases, and never balance — ever.
“Contrast that to the budget before the Senate today. It balances. It does so without raising taxes. And it’s the result of open and transparent committee work, led by Chairman Enzi.
“This budget is another example of the new Senate getting back to work for the American people. It’s another example of the new Senate moving past failed ideas from the past like Obamacare, and positioning America for the future instead.”
Yet Senate Democrats continue to demonstrate that they are mired in the past. This afternoon, the Senate is voted on the very first amendment to the budget offered on the floor, by the ranking member of the Budget Committee, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). And of course the first amendment offered on behalf of Senate Democrats features a nearly $500 billion tax increase and ever more government spending.
As Leader McConnell said today, “Throughout the Obama era, families across the country have had to make a lot of tough decisions. Lost jobs or lower wages meant doing more with less, and refocusing on what truly mattered. It wasn’t easy, but families made the best of difficult situations in order to position themselves for greater success in better days to come.
“Meanwhile in Washington, you saw record levels of overspending, trillion-dollar deficits, and historic levels of debt. Hardworking families made tough choices while the Obama Administration and its allies aimed to keep right on overspending. It was more than just wrong, many would say it was unfair. But today, Democrats can join together with Republicans to help rectify the inequity. Instead of having Washington play by one set of rules, and the middle class by another, we can force Washington to start confronting big challenges — just like everyone else has to.
“We can force Washington to focus on serving the middle class again, instead of the other way around. And we can begin by passing the balanced budget before the Senate today.”
Tags: Senate, debating, Balanced Budget, House, supports, U.S. military assistance, for Ukraine To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
The House convened at 9 AM today. IT then recessed and reconvened at Noon to consider House Resolutions and bills>
Being considered today:
H. Con. Res. 27 — "Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025."
H.R. 216 — "To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a Future-Years Veterans Program and a quadrennial veterans review, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Chief Strategy Officer, and for other purposes."
Yesterday, the House passed:
H. Res. 162 (348—48) — "Calling on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
H.R. 233 (Voice Vote) — "To allow reviews of certain families' incomes every 3 years for purposes of determining eligibility for certain Federal assisted housing programs."
H.R. 360 (297-98)— "To reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, and for other purposes."
The Senate reconvened at 10 AM today, and resumed consideration of S. Con. Res. 11, the budget resolution passed by the Senate Budget Committee. At noon the Senate began voting on the first amendment to the budget, offered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The Sanders amendment would raise taxes by nearly $500 billion to spend more money on infrastructure. That amendment was rejected by a vote of 45-52.
The Senate then began voting on another amendment offered by Sen. Sanders, which will be followed by a vote on an amendment from Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).
The Senate will recess between 12:30 and 2:15 PM. At 4:30 PM, additional votes on amendments to the budget resolution are expected.
Yesterday, the Senate voted 89-0 to confirm William Doyle to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner.
Under the new Senate Republican majority, the Senate is considering a budget, in sharp contrast to the previous Democrat majority’s record of refusing to debate a budget for four out of the last five years.
Democrats were so resistant to considering a budget that Sen. Harry Reid said in 2011, “There's no need to have a Democratic budget in my opinion… It would be foolish for us to do a budget at this stage.” In fact, the only year the Senate did consider a budget, in 2013, Democrats were forced to because of Republicans. National Journal explained, “The No Budget No Pay Act that House Republicans crafted in January [2013] . . . forced Senate Democrats to act on their first budget in four years by requiring that lawmakers' pay be withheld if the chamber did not pass a budget resolution by April 15.”
The new Republican majority, however, committed from the beginning to bring a budget to the floor. And this week, Senate Republicans are offering a budget that balances in ten years without resorting to tax increases and sets out reconciliation instructions to provide for repealing and replacing Obamacare.
Speaking on the Senate floor yesterday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “Americans know that Washington can’t tax away the challenges confronting us. And Americans know Washington can’t ignore away the problems confronting us either. Americans also know that every dollar spent on interest for the growing national debt is essentially wasted. Every dollar spent on interest is one less dollar for a Social Security check, or for helping those who truly need it, or for tax relief.
“That’s why the balanced budget before us is premised on a simple truth: that Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. I know that this can be hard for some politicians to acknowledge. But politicians have a duty to the American people to admit it.
“They owe it to the American people to explain why the kind of budget blueprints we’ve seen from the White House are just so unserious. President Obama’s budgets skip the tough choices, keep spending more money we don’t have, contain massive tax increases, and never balance — ever.
“Contrast that to the budget before the Senate today. It balances. It does so without raising taxes. And it’s the result of open and transparent committee work, led by Chairman Enzi.
“This budget is another example of the new Senate getting back to work for the American people. It’s another example of the new Senate moving past failed ideas from the past like Obamacare, and positioning America for the future instead.”
Yet Senate Democrats continue to demonstrate that they are mired in the past. This afternoon, the Senate is voted on the very first amendment to the budget offered on the floor, by the ranking member of the Budget Committee, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). And of course the first amendment offered on behalf of Senate Democrats features a nearly $500 billion tax increase and ever more government spending.
As Leader McConnell said today, “Throughout the Obama era, families across the country have had to make a lot of tough decisions. Lost jobs or lower wages meant doing more with less, and refocusing on what truly mattered. It wasn’t easy, but families made the best of difficult situations in order to position themselves for greater success in better days to come.
“Meanwhile in Washington, you saw record levels of overspending, trillion-dollar deficits, and historic levels of debt. Hardworking families made tough choices while the Obama Administration and its allies aimed to keep right on overspending. It was more than just wrong, many would say it was unfair. But today, Democrats can join together with Republicans to help rectify the inequity. Instead of having Washington play by one set of rules, and the middle class by another, we can force Washington to start confronting big challenges — just like everyone else has to.
“We can force Washington to focus on serving the middle class again, instead of the other way around. And we can begin by passing the balanced budget before the Senate today.”
Tags: Senate, debating, Balanced Budget, House, supports, U.S. military assistance, for Ukraine To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
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