Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2012

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 15 minutes.

Mr. ROKITA. The ``people's budget''? This budget, if enacted, would end this country as we know it. This budget increases spending, Mr. Chairman, by $13 trillion over 10 years. It takes $16 trillion more from the American people over 10 years through the biggest tax increase this country has ever seen. It increases our debt $3.5 trillion over 10 years.

This isn't the people's budget. This country was founded on equal opportunity for everyone, not equal outcome. History is littered with countries and nations that have failed because they tried for equal outcome.

This country remains the greatest Nation the world has ever seen because we pride ourselves and enforce equal opportunity.

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Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 10 seconds.

There has been a lot of talk about budgets being moral instruments. The budget that we've proposed through the Budget Committee, the Ryan budget, is a responsible budget. And let me say, Mr. Chairman, what is immoral is balancing these choices on the backs of our children and grandchildren, Americans who haven't even been born yet. That's what's immoral.

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Mr. ROKITA. In closing, I would like to recall the words of the gentleman from South Carolina, who spoke about the honesty of this proposed amendment.

I think it was an appropriate thing to say. This is an honest proposal. I believe that the proponents of this amendment believe everything that's in the amendment as a possible solution--but honesty, Mr. Chairman, does not equal responsibility.

This isn't the people's budget that is being proposed. It is the ``blank check'' budget. You see, it doesn't force any choices. It spends $13 trillion over 10 years. It taxes the American people. It has the Federal Government confiscate from the American people an additional $16 trillion over 10 years. That's not forcing choices. That's not being responsible. Every family in this Nation understands, when they prepare their budgets, they have to make choices. There are different priorities. This just opens up by fiat the right of the Federal Government to dip into the wallets of every American.

I heard a lot about tax cuts for the rich, Mr. Chairman. I want to be clear that the budget that came out of the Budget Committee calls for revenue-neutral tax reform. We are motivated by the same reform principles that are in the President's fiscal commission: to broaden the tax base and to lower tax rates for everybody.

I was looking at some statistics. The bottom 50 percent of taxpayers pays less than 3 percent of the income taxes. In fact, 47 percent of individuals pay no Federal income tax whatsoever.

Our idea is tax neutral. It's revenue neutral. It lowers the tax rates for everybody. It makes all of us pay something, and it doesn't give tax cuts to the rich. We are planning to take away the loopholes so that those who are better off than we are can't take advantage of high-priced lobbyists.

I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this proposed amendment.

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