Dr. Coburn Applauds Senate's Decision to Continue Energy Debate

Statement

Dr. Coburn Applauds Senate's Decision to Continue Energy Debate

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released the following statement today after the Senate defeated a motion to move away from a debate on energy and instead take up a $10 billion omnibus spending bill of unrelated items.

"The Senate's decision to continue its work on energy policy reflects the true priorities of the American people," Dr. Coburn said.

"Once we complete work on a common sense energy package, I look forward to working with my colleagues to help them improve and pass many of the bills the Majority Leader hoped to pass today. In many cases, I have already identified ways sponsors could pay for their new programs by spending less elsewhere," Dr. Coburn said.

"I have insisted on debating and improving many of these bills because this body has a moral obligation to future generations to live within our means. Today, the White House announced a record deficit of nearly $600 billion that includes the money we steal from trust funds like Social Security. As a result, our national debt now exceeds a staggering $10 trillion," Dr. Coburn said.

"Congress cannot continue to ignore serious challenges like housing, energy security and our unsustainable economic course until it's too late. Whether we like it our not, the federal government's long and bipartisan era of borrowing without limits and Enron-style accounting will come to an end. That era will come to end through an economic catastrophe, or we can act responsibly now and begin to live with our means, just as every American family does every day. Our government wastes at least $300 billion every year through fraud and duplication. It is unconscionable for members of Congress to not do the hard work of paying for new programs by spending less elsewhere," Dr. Coburn said.

Source