Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today issued the following statement regarding this morning’s release of President Obama’s $3.8 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2011:
 
            “Congress knows it, the President knows it, and the American people know it -- spending is out of control in Washington.  Over the past year, President Obama signed into law two omnibus appropriations bills that increased non-defense discretionary spending by double-digits for fiscal years 2009 and 2010 --10.3 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively.  And, frankly, this budget does little to change that.  Instead it would run a record-high deficit of $1.56 trillion next year, double the debt over five years, and raise taxes by the trillions.  By 2020, the national debt would represent a whopping 77 percent of the total economic output of the U.S.  As I said after the State of the Union, I applaud the President for taking a long-overdue step to control spending through a freeze on a fraction of the budget, and I am entirely committed to working with the President to meet and surpass this goal.  But we need to do better than simply freeze a small portion of our spending at last year’s bloated levels. 
 
            “A responsible budget aimed at economic recovery must cut – not increase – taxes that harm job creation.  It must target investments where they promote long-term economic growth and tighten the government’s belt the same way that every American family already does during tough times.
 
            “For example, I applaud the President’s inclusion of increased funding for research and development at labs like Argonne, and an additional $18.5 billion in loan guarantees to bring new, carbon-free nuclear energy plants online.  These funds are critical to producing the jobs and industries of tomorrow, producing cheaper, more sustainable domestic energy, and keeping the U.S. ahead in the global marketplace. 
 
            “However, I am extremely concerned that this plan relies heavily on new taxes that the American people have made clear are non-starters in this economy – taxes for government-run health care, taxes on a fragile financial system, taxes on capital gains and investments, and letting existing tax relief expire for millions of families. 
 
            “Lastly, I am deeply disappointed that this budget pushes ahead with the Administration’s expensive and irresponsible plan to bring enemy combatants from Guantanamo Bay to Illinois.  By setting aside federal funds to purchase the Thomson Prison in Illinois, the Administration is simply ignoring a host of serious legal and security concerns raised by its plan to house these detainees on U.S. soil and try military combatants in our civilian courts.  The Administration needs to chart a new path on homeland security that places the safety and security of American citizens above misguided campaign promises.  If the goal is to reduce spending, this is $237 million that we can cut immediately.”

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