Congress Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2009

Floor Speech

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009 -- (Senate - March 13, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

AMENDMENT NO. 4284

Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 4284 and ask for its immediate consideration.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from Kansas [Mr. Brownback] proposes an amendment numbered 4284.

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To provide funds for a Commission on Budgetary Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies)

On page 25, line 16, increase the amount by $3,000,000.

On page 25, line 17, increase the amount by $3,000,000.

On page 25, line 20, increase the amount by $6,000,000.

On page 25, line 21, increase the amount by $6,000,000.

On page 25, line 24, increase the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 25, line 25, increase the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 26, line 3, increase the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 26, line 4, increase the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 26, line 7, increase the amount by $4,000,000.

On page 26, line 8, increase the amount by $4,000,000.

On page 27, line 16, decrease the amount by $3,000,000.

On page 27, line 17, decrease the amount by $3,000,000.

On page 27, line 20, decrease the amount by $6,000,000.

On page 27, line 21, decrease the amount by $6,000,000.

On page 27, line 24, decrease the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 27. line 25. decrease the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 28, line 3, decrease the amount by $8,000,000.

On page 28, line 4, decrease the amount by $8.000.000.

On page 28, line 7, decrease the amount by $4,000,000.

On page 28, line 8, decrease the amount by $4,000,000.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas is recognized.

Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, this is a very direct and well-known process that I wish to take to the rest of Government and ask my colleagues to consider it.

I think we are all familiar with the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. It is a process by which we try to correct where our military bases are--where we have closed some, where we have put more resources in other places. I might note to my colleagues that it has saved us $65 billion since BRAC has been in place. It has worked. It is one of the things that has worked.

I wish to take that BRAC process to the rest of the Government programs and have a commission identified, just as the BRAC Commission, to review all of the Federal programs and recommend for elimination those that are duplicative or wasteful or have not accomplished their purposes and then give us one vote in a whole package--35 programs, 200 programs--eliminate them or keep them, deal or no deal, and put that on the line.

So I am asking for the yeas and nays.

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