Congressman Jack Kingston - First District of Georgia

Washington, May 3, 2011 - Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentleman, and wanted to speak in support of H.R. 1214 for three reasons.

   Number one, we have got to remember that we are now in our third year of a $1.6 trillion deficit. That's right. The Obama administration has now put us in our third year of a deficit of $1.6 trillion. For every dollar we spend, 40 cents is borrowed.

   At what point will that mean anything to our Democrat colleagues? I don't understand it. At what point will it mean anything to the administration? Do you really believe you can defy gravity over and over again and expect that it's not going to come back to haunt you? I don't understand it. I'm baffled by this.

   So, number one, we've got to impact the deficit as we've got to consider future generations.

   Number two is duplication. The stimulus bill and ObamaCare had $3 billion that went to the Health Resources and Services Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services for improvements in community health centers that many of the school-based health care clinics are eligible for. This is strictly a duplication of $50 million on top of $3 billion.

   Number three, as an appropriator, I believe we have to be very careful about advanced appropriations. This

   goes to the year 2014. If it is so good, as we have heard--and certainly there is a level at which you can argue the effectiveness of this--why not let them get in line as soldiers have to? as educators have to? as hospitals have to? as researchers have to? As everybody else who gets Federal Government money, let them get in line each and every year, and let them justify their budgets. Then Congress, in weighing it out, will say, Okay. Let's fund it again this year.

   But what the Democrats are asking us to do is to obligate future Congresses on money to the year 2014 and to put it on automatic pilot. That's not fair. That's not right. In these budgetary times--again, when we are borrowing 40 cents for every dollar we spend--we do not need to be advance appropriating anything or any entity.

   The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

   Mr. BURGESS. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

   Mr. KINGSTON. The point is, if it's a good program, then certainly they can justify their budgets each and every year just like the soldiers have to and just like everybody else has to. For those three reasons, I strongly support H.R. 1214.