Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I first want to commend Chairman Price for shepherding this budget to the floor and doing such a tremendous job; yet, with the great job he has done, I know it is confusing, probably, to people listening to this debate at home because, throughout today and tomorrow, a lot of very smart men and women are going to come to this floor and argue various debates.

When all those voices have silenced and everybody sits back down in their chairs, we all know that it is going to come down to two choices. Those two choices are going to be what we refer to as Price 1 or Price 2.

Mr. Chairman, we also all know that the difference between those two bills is going to be how much we are willing to spend for the national defense of this country to defend the greatest nation the world has ever known.

In addition, one of the things that will be clear is not that we will be spending what we need to defend the country, but we will be spending the amount we have to spend to keep from putting our national defense in a crisis situation and a devastating situation to the men and women who serve this country around the globe.

Just two points I would like to leave Members with as they cast those votes and the first one is this. The difference in the amount of money we will be spending for national defense between Price 1 and Price 2, if the budget were $1, would be equal to half of this penny if I could cut it in two--half of this penny; yet, as small as that may seem, it makes the difference between a crisis in national defense and a devastating situation to our men and women in uniform.

The last thing, Mr. Chairman, I would like to leave everyone with as they cast those votes is this. It will not be about the men and women in suits who make speeches in here, but it is going to be about the men and women who wear uniforms around the globe because they will fight to defend this country, regardless of what we do.

The question is whether we will leave them in a crisis situation and a devastating situation. That is why I hope this body will vote ``no'' to Price 1, ``yes'' to Price 2, and then, if Price 2 passes, vote for final passage of this budget, which is a well-done document by the chairman.

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