Senator Roberts: Democrat Budget Taxes More, Spends More


By:  Pat Roberts
Date: March 14, 2013
Location: Washington, DC

U.S. Senator Pat Roberts made the following remarks regarding the first Democrat Budget proposal in four years following the White House's failure to submit one to the Congress as mandated by law:

"Ordinarily, the President proposes a budget and the Congress then uses it as a starting point for debate on the nation's fiscal priorities. Unfortunately, due to lack of leadership in the White House, the Administration has not given the American people a plan forward on the most critical issue of the day, the nearly $17 trillion debt.

"This could explain why this budget proposal from Senate Democrat Leadership raises taxes by a whopping $1 trillion and actually increases spending in the next year alone by $162 billion. In fact, this budget taxes more and cuts less spending than what the President is reported to have proposed in negotiations on reducing the debt. Perhaps they should get on the same page.

"If this budget were to be approved, our debt would rise from $16.7 trillion to $24.3 trillion in 2023. That number would make up 94 percent of our economy. This is not a serious proposal. The American people deserve better."