Agreement, we will postpone the recorded vote until we have finished the debate on the batch of this seven. Members of the House Budget Committee will return shortly after house floor votes to continue debate and mark up of the gop budget plan for fiscal 2018. While we wait to bring you that live coverage, here is some of the Budget Discussion from earlier. The committee will now come to order and we will proceed with consideration of fiscal year 2018 concurrent resolution of the budget. I want to thank the Ranking Member for working with me to develop a structure for this markup that closely resembles and follows what has been done here in the past. Our goal is to have an open markup which both sides will have an opportunity to debate, the frame work for the fiscal 2018 concurrent budget resolution. We have a long day ahead of us and i thank everyone for their cooperation. We will complete our work by midnight and hopefully well before then. We all can work together, that may be possible. Id like to begin by recognizing the distinguished member from indiana. Good morning, everyone. And thank you, madam chairman. With several floor votes expected later today and other Committee Mark ups i would ask unanimous consent the chairman of the be authorized to declare recess at any time today. Without objection, so ordered. Consistent with the agreement i have reached, i ask unanimous consent that each side be allocated 45 minutes to make presentations in lieu of opening comments. The Ranking Member and i each will make an Opening Statement out of that allotted time. Each side then make presentations out of the remaining time. Members have seven days to submit additional statements for the record and after these presentations we proceed to opening presentations on the budget resolution. Without objection, so ordered. Once the opening presentations have concluded, we will have one hour staff walkthrough, during which the majority staff will briefly summarize the chairmans mark. Members will then have the opportunity to ask questions. After the staff walkthrow, we will consider amendments according to the structure i have worked out with the Ranking Member. Today, we have decided to roll votes. We will debate seven amendments and then hold a series of roll call votes if requested on each of these amendments. I will describe this process in more detail when we get to that point. Once the staff walkthrough concludes, we will recess to accommodate walk ups and other floor votes. Once again, good morning and welcome to our markup of the fiscal year 2018 budget resolution. Our budget is called building a better america because we take real, tangible steps to balance the budget, build a stronger military and support an economy that creates opportunity for all americans. In the past years, our budget resolution was a vision document, but this year is different. With the election of President Trump, our budget goes from being a vision document to being a governing document that outlines how we build america for our children and grandchildren. The time is over. Now is the time for action. When i came excuse me. The time for talking is over. Now is the time for action. When i came to congress six years ago, i had three priorities, repeal and replace obamacare, balance the budget and reform our tax code. This year, we have already taken the largest step yet to accomplish these first of these priorities, and i was proud to sponsor the American Health care act to bring patient reforms to our health care system. This mark up begins the process of tackling a balanced budget by the progrowth reform. Balancing the budget by 2027 is a top priority. Our National Debt stands at 20 trillion with 9 trillion added over the last eight years. Both parties have failed to abide by a principal that all American Families and Small Businesses do, and that is we must live within our means. The Congressional Budget Office and outside experts all agree our current fiscal path is unsustainable. As the United States comptroller general put it in a recent House Budget Committee hearing, if we fail to get control of debt and defici deficits, we are putting our country at risk of fiscal and economic crisis, close quote. Balancing the budget requires us to make tough choices, but the consequences of inaction far outweigh any political risks that we may face. Doing nothing and continuing the status quo of more spending and more debt jeopardizes this american of years in the makes. The budget before us takes real steps to put our country on a sound fiscal path that balances in ten years and allows us to start paying down our debt. Building a better america makes a bold reform and ensure that we can continue to serve them for a generation to come. While our budget includes reforms to Discretionary Spending, we also strongly believe that mandatory spending must be addressed in this budget resolution, and in the budget resolutions to come. Mandatory spending is already more than twothirds of our federal spending, and that number will continue to grow. We agres maddress mandatory spen two ways. First, we believe respect a responsible vision for reforming and saving these programs. These programs would require further legislation and political will to make the tough choices needed to benefit the American People. Second, our budget includes reconciliation instructions requiring savings and reforms in mandatory spending programs. These savings would go toward deficit reduction and cannot be used to pay for tax reform. Our reconciliation instructions require 11 authorizing committees to find a minimum of 203 billion in savings and reforms over the tenyear window with the expectation that the reforms will result in significantly higher savings. This package of mandatory reforms is the largest since the 1990s through reconciliation, and it is the first step to change the culture of the spending here in washington. The goal of the Budget Committee is to return to the traditional budget process and the true purpose of reconciliation, definite reduction through mandatory spending reforms. This is the first step, but it is an important one. Our budget promotes tax and Regulatory Reform to get the federal government out of the way and allow our free market economy to thrive. The larger the government, the less freedom for individuals and businesses to thrive, grow, hire and innovate. The obama economy left millions of people behind with over 14 Million People leaving the labor workforce in just the last eight years. Through reconciliation, our budget specifically paves the way to progrowth tax reform that will be deficit neutral. This progrowth reform will reduce taxes, simplify the tax code and unleash the potential of the American Economy to help those who have been left behind. Many of our friends across the aisle and in the media said Economic Growth is the new normal, that we are doomed to continue the economic stagnation of the obama years. They have a pessimistic view of our nations ability to create jobs. America has the greatest workers, the greatest innovators and entrepreneurs to surpass the growth of the last eight years, if only the federal government would get out of their way. We believe it will result in higher Economic Growth, averaging 2. 6 over the tenyear window because we put our trust in the potential of the American People. But a stronger economy is not enough. We must also strengthen our military. The number one job of the federal government is to protect its citizens. Over the last eight years, the weak Foreign Policy of poth obama has led to increased threats from all corners of the globe, while the funding of our men and women in uniform has failed to keep pace. Building a better america investing money in our military and 75 billion specifically for the global war on terrorism for the fiscal year of 2018. These resources will help our men and women in uniform complete the mission with which they have been tasked. We also must rethink how government runs. We have to measure success in government, not by how much money we put in, but by the results that are created for the American People. We on the Budget Committee and in the full congress have been tasked to be good stewarts of the taxpayer dollars. As director mulvaney outlined, this means considering the interests not just of those that have are receiving government benefits, but also those that are paying the taxes that fund these benefits. The federal government doesnt just spend too much money. It simply does too much. As decade after decade, the slow creep of government has encroached on the responsibil y responsibilities of states, local communities, families and charitable organizations. Returning power back to the states and other components of Civil Society will allow them to provide services more effectively and efficiently. Our budget also takes serious steps to address improper payments, which the u. S. Government Accountability Office estimated to be 140 billion last year alone. Building a better america presents us with an opportunity to change the trajectory of our country forever. The election of President Trump was a signal to all of us that the American People will no longer accept the status quo. Taped to the back of my voting card is a picture of my six grandchildren. I was a nurse for over 40 years and still have my license. Government and Public Service was never an ambition of mine, but when i saw what was happening in my state and this country, i couldnt sit back and do nothing. Im reminded of how i left a career that i love to join the political fray. It is for them, my children and grandchildren and for yours as well. I grew up in america where a poor girl likes me, whose parents had an ambition for me to finish high school, could graduate from high school, become a nurse and become a member of the United States house of representatives. I grew up in an america that was a land of opportunity, of strength and compassion, but that america is slipping away for us, for too many people in this country, the American Dream is out of reach. A government that was supposed to be of, by and for the people has left too many people behind and building a better america requires a government that spends within its means, a military with the resources to complete its mission, an economy that recites opportunity for all and a federal bureaucracy that respects the taxpayer. But it requires an understanding that the greatness of america does not lie in the stone pillars here in washington, d. C. It lives in the spirit of ten nasty of people. We design building a better america put that vision in practice to empower individuals to live their version of the American Dream. Again, i welcome everyone here to our markup for this budget resolution and with that i yield to the Ranking Member. Thank you, chairman black. Nearly two months ago in this same room, we debated President Trumps budget. It was a shockingly extreme document that gave to the rich and took from everyone else. I urge my republican colleagues to see the harm it would bring to American Families, the damage it would cause to our chances for a Better Future and choice a different path when crafting their own budget. But here we are today with a budget that displays total indifference to the challenges americans face. Tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires at the expense of American Families, our economic progress and our National Security. The budget includes 5. 4 trillion in mandatory and Discretionary Spending cuts, and it ultimately reduces nondefense discretionary investments to the lowest level relative to the size of the economy since the 1960s. My republican colleagues are proud to talk about those cuts in washington. But what they dont want to talk about is how these cuts hurt the American People. So we will. The enormity of these cuts and the severity of the consequences for American Families cannot be overstated. Education, job training, transportation, medical research and veteran services are all at risk. This budget cuts nearly 1 trillion from mandatory spending that helps provide basic Living Standards for struggling families. Then it cuts nearly a half a trillion dollars from medicare and ends the fundamental guarantee of medicare coverage. It embraces trumpcare, which would strip more than 20 million americans of Health Coverage and makes nearly 1 trillion in cuts to medicate. These arent just comes. They represent people. They are families that have never had a chance to get ahead, and they are individuals like the woman i met at my town hall last week. She told me, quote, i think there is a misconception that medicate is just for the poor. In 2014, my husband lost his job of 25 years, and we were suddenly without Health Insurance or income. But we were covered for the 11 months leading up to him finding a new job through the medicaid expansion. Medicaid was a lifeline for this woman and her family, as it has been for millions of americans all across the country. All of that is at risk for them and millions of other families because of the drastic cuts in this budget. It is an incredibly cold document that willfully ignores the needs and priorities of the American People. But its not just the Economic Security of millions of families thats at risk in this budget. Its also our nations security. My republican colleagues have put on display a narrow world view, one where our countrys security is only about the size of our military. The republican budget increases defense spending by an astonishing 72 billion above the current cap and more than 18 billion above what President Trump requested. We have a responsibility to make sure our men and women in uniform have the tools needed to safely and successfully ensure their mission. But military experts across the board also stated that diplomacy, foreign aid and environmental factors like Climate Change are key components of our National Security. Yet, my republican colleagues ignored these facts and recklessly cut funding from the state department and foreign aid agencies by 11 billion and environmental and Natural Resource protection by over 6 billion. Funding our military at the expense of Critical National priorities is not a choice my republican colleagues have to make. And its certainly not a choice the American People want them to make. Which begs the question, why are they making it . The answer is as simple as it is disgraceful. So that millionaires, billionaires and wealthy corporations can get a tax cut. They have made the choice to give everyone at the top 1 , a 240,000 annual tax cut while taking breakfast and lunch away from Hungry School children. They have made the choice to give everyone in the top onetenth of 1 of income a 1. 4 million tax cut while Cutting Health care for seniors, nursing homes, low income children and the disabled. These are not choices my democratic colleagues or i would make. The list of upside down priorities and irresponsible priorities in this document is lengthy and we will do our best to go through as many of them as we can today. We will show a different vision of our country and for the American People. We want to invest in the future of American Families, create good jobs and help grow our economy. Democrats support investments in education, health care, National Security, job training, innovation and infrastructure. We support programs that help individuals with nowhere left to turn and a tax code that helps families get ahead. Those are american priorities and they should be the priorities of this congress and our committee. That, madam chair sorry. Chairman black, i yield back the balance of my time. I thank you, gentlemen. And i yield to the gentleman of indiana. Thank you, chairman black. I want to thank you for your commitment to produce a responsible federal budget. I appreciate your leadership and the efforts of our committee members. You know, to get to this budget, our committee had to make some tough decisions, and we had to create priorities that elevated those of our fellow citizens who are the most vulnerable, who truly needed help. That was President Trumps request, Vice President pences request and they did their job admirably as well. In short, they led. And in short, this committee, at least this Budget Proposal, is leading. Here on the committee, we are familiar with the kind of tough choices, and we will continue to make more of these today so that we are protected of the citizens that are most vulnerable and protected and that the future generations who should be highest on our list are protected from what is now a 20 trillion debt going to 100 trillion. It is critical that we continue our dedication to push this budget through committee and on to the house floor because without it the American Dream will continue to slip away. Under president obama we were able to make substantial changes we were not able to make substantial changes. We saw slow Economic Growth and millions of americans choosing to not even look for a job anymore. We cant let that mentality, that opportunity has been lost, continue to fester under our watch now. We cant accept the new normal of the past spending that goes beyond our nations needs and borrowing too much from china. This budget will bring opportunity to American Families by opening the door for Economic Growth and tax reform. This budget also addresses our nations growing fiscal crisis by reforming antiquated Government Programs that arent serving us well anymore. 203 billion worth of mandatorying spending has been addressed so these programs can remain not only for those who need it most, but for future generations, these programs might be around for those who need them. The gentlemans time is expired. I now recognize the gentleman from california for two minutes. Thank you, madam chairman. On our current trajectory, the cbo warns four fiscal years from now, 2022, our annual deficits will surpass a trillion. Thats where economists warn we run the risk or even loss of our access to credit, a sovereign debt crisis. Venezuela is going through that right now. Even through our own territory, the commonwealth of puerto rico is going through. Pension systems include, and the economy collapses. We will begin running that risk in four years on the path we are on. Two years after that, in 2024, the cbo tells us that the annual interest cost on our debt, simply renting the money we have already spent, will reach 654 billion. Thats more than we currently spend on our entire defense establishment. You cannot provide for the common defense or promote the general welfare if you cannot pay for it. We are at the upper limits of tax revenues that our economy can generate. When tax rates rise above this natural limits, tax avoidance activity increases, capital moves offshore, the economy falters and revenues fall. We have no choice but to change the spending trajectory, and we are running out of time. This budget barely restrains spending growth over the next deck kate and begins to change that trajectory by using reconciliation for its intended purpose. Every year we delay, the danger gets closer and our options become more difficult. I hope everyone will think about this carefully as we begin our work on the budget today. I yield back. The gentleman yields back and i will recognize the gentleman from wisconsin for two minutes. Well, every budget document is a compromise. Obviously, this is a Big Committee with diverse members. First of all, i want to correct, the Ranking Member i think you talked about an 18 billion increase on defense over what President Trump promised. I think its a 28 billion increase over what President Trump requested, which is frustrating. Like i said, its a compromised document. I think President Trump tried to propose a very fiscally responsible budget in which he tried to hold Discretionary Spending even. There were increases in this document on nondefense of almost 50 billion, and i just mentioned the 28 billion increase in defense, which makes it a very difficult budget to vote for. Though, i understand this is a compromised budget. This is not the last step on the process. There is going to be a floor vote on this budget. There is going to be appropriation bills coming out, and were going to eventually see whether those appropriation bills appropriate to the max or somewhat less than the max. But id like to thank the chairman for having so Many Committee meetings. I think this is the third year that i have been a part of the budget process, and i think shes brought us in and worked harder than the last two years. So id like to thank you for that. And hope we have, you know, look forward to taking the votes on the amendments today. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time and ill recognize the gentleman from ohio. Thank you. As someone who has come to congress with 30 years of business experience, i have always been a strong advocate for the need for washington to pass a budget and stick to it. Thats something this federal government has failed to do. Yet people back home are required to do it every day. I applaud this committee for putting forward a budget that balances over the next ten years and outlines policy proposals that may lead to Economic Growth and begin to address the longterm financial obligations in fact United States. However, as our nation sits here today, saddled with a 20 trillion in debt, there is no question that we have a moral obligation as a congress to take meaningful action to tackle our longterm debt by addressing its most serious driver, mandatory spending. And while encouraged that our committee has expressied a serious commitment to advancing these badly needed reforms, i am concerned through this budget we may fail to adequately bring about the savings that are needed to set our country back on a sustainable and responsible fiscal course. In addition, as a member of the ways and means committee, im concerned the instructions tied to this package may make it difficult for congress to pass in the near feature. I look forward to its hearing and the process and merits. I believe in the process and many times the process requires moving bills knowing that this is not the final vote. But ultimately, it remains vital that this congress advance a budget that is able to pass both the house and senate and allows for congress to move forward with these vital policy changes we need. I sincerely hope todays hearing demonstrates that. Thank you. And i yield back. Gentleman yields back the balance of his time. I now recognize the gentleman from ohio, mr. Johnson, for two minutes. Thank you, madam chair. I, too, am proud of this committees work to present a budget to put america back on a path of fiscal responsibility. Not only does this Budget Proposal balance within ten years without raising taxes on hard working americans but also achieves 6. 5 trillion in deficit reduction. For the first time in decades, this Budget Proposal requires reconciliation instructions to achieve at least 203 billion in mandatory savings and reforms. American families have to balance their budgets and live within their means. Its time for washington to do the same. Its unacceptable and irresponsible to risk our childrens Financial Security with crushing debt. While improving americas Economic Security, this budget also emphasises our commitment to our National Security by providing 621. 5 billion in defense Discretionary Spending. Were living in a dangerous time with gathering threats to our homeland, our allies and our interest abroad. It is essential that congress provide the men and women who wear uniforms the resources to be successful in their mission. Doing so would provide needed assurance to our allies and send a strong message to our enemies that america will not lead from behind. Rather, we will remain the global force or peace and stability. At home, this budget calls for increased accountability at the department of Veterans Affairs and works to ensure that our nations heroes receive the care, the benefits and the services that they have earned and are entitled to. So i encourage my colleagues to support this budget, and i yield back the balance of my time. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. I now recognize mr. Lewis from missouri. Thank you, chairman black. And thank you for your leadership on this very, very tough issue. You know, since the recession, our nation has faced an anemic recovery with only 1 , 2 growth. This economic ma lace made it harder for families in minnesota, my home state and all across the United States to succeed. I would argue this poor growth is due to policies that have overspent, overregulated and underdelivered. In fact, we are at record levels of budget outlays and tax revenue right now. Stimulus plan to stimulus plan have failed to deliver on Economic Growth. It is time for washington to refocus on the significant policy changes that will restore economic prosperity, a rising tide of income, a hike in the standard of living and lead to sustainable and responsible budgets. The bottom line is we can have family incomes that grow and an economy that grows at 3, 4, 5 because we have before in the 60s, 80s and in the 90s. If we do not debegin to address the debt, we will hinder any attempts at recovery. We will also hurt our future generations ability to achieve the American Dream because you cannot grow Family Budgets by increasing massively increasing federal budgets. Just as important, i would argue, while this budget is not perfect. In many ways it still spends too much. Yet takes a significant step in the right direction by balancing in ten years and addressing the largest driver of our spending problem, mandatory spending. Just as important, our budget provides reconciliation instructions that puts us on a path for significant tax reform that will make america more globally competitive and drive the growth i spoke about, includings drive creation and rising median incomes. I urge all my colleagues to support this budget and i yield back. The gentleman from missouri, mr. Smith, is now recognized. Thank you, chairman black. And thank you for your hard work and dedication over the last several months for this budget. The American People are tired of business as usual. And last year they sent this message to washington loud and clear. Well, this budget certainly isnt business as usual. With this budget, we begin rebuilding our military. We bring balance in ten years by reducing spending and calling for common sense reforms to government and welfare programs. We are moving forward with the largest cut to mandatory spending in 20 years. The American People want us to change the culture in washington. Our country is 20 trillion in debt and projected to be 30 trillion in debt by 2027. Everyone in this room knows these numbers. Everyone in this room knows we cant tax our way out of the problem. There is no question our current fiscal state weakens this nation. We have to take action now to get our spending under control, to promote Economic Growth and to remove the government regulations that are Holding America back. That is why the work were doing today is so important. I look forward to moving this budget out of committee and i look forward to us moving future budgets like this in the future. Thank you, chairman black. And i yield back. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. I recognize the gentleman from michigan. Thank you, madam chair, for your proactive leadership. Im thankful to be here today as a freshman member of the house fulfilling our constitutional duty. What were considering today sets a strong marker for the republican agenda, a budget that stands in stark contrast to the past eight years of short sided proposals that never balanced and kept us on a treacherous fiscal path. I decided to run for congress because i was deeply concerned about the kind of world we were leaving my grandchildren. The trillions of of debt, misguided spending priorities, National Securities at home and around the world. The list goes on. I probably represent the folks of michigans First District who sent me to washington to make tough decisions and get wasteful spending under control. This budget is a next first step to accomplish that. It also includes important reconciliation instructions for tax reform and deficit reduction. Two issues that have not been meaningfully meaningfully addressed for far too long. 2 200 plus billion in mandatory savings, thats what the americans are calling for today. And thats just the floor. Not a ceiling, a floor. I believe we can do more. But im encouraged by the commitment made in this budget to begin to change our current path. Wasteful spending can no longer be the prescription for this countrys problems. The time is now for us as a congress to make these difficult decisions to keep washington accountable to and produce results for the american taxpayer. Lets empower our constituents, make Economic Opportunity a top priority for this country and build a better america for all of our grandchildren. I yield back. The gentleman yields back. I now recognize the gentleman from pennsylvania. Thank you, madam chair. Id like to start by just extending by appreciation to you, madam chair, for your leadership on this committee and to my colleagues as well for the countless hours of work that went into developing this budget. Our National Debt is spiraling out of control. Were staggering 20 trillion in debt, a number were quickly approaching. Under spending policies of recent years simply did not work for hard working American Families and for the Small Businesses that employ them. This budget fulfills our commitment to the American People to balance the budget and to reign in our spending. It puts us on a sustainable fiscal path at the same time ensuring our military has the resources it needs to keep our homeland safe. Its also a first important First Step Towards comprehensive tax reform, one of the main priorities of many of my colleagues, priority of mine on this committee and in the house. I ran a Small Business for 25 years, and one of the main reason i wanted to serve the community i grew up in was because i saw firsthand how our tax system was holding back job creation, holding back Economic Growth. Its passed time for congress to enact progrowth policies that will improve the lives of the people that we are all here to represent. For far too long, we have been governing from one Funding Crisis to the next. And im glad that the Budget Committee with this budget is beginning to restore regular order. This budget is a step towards fiscal sanity. It will grow our economy, create more opportunity for working families and reignite the American Dream. Thank you, madam chair. I yield back. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from florida is recognized for two minutes. My previous Public Service was in the florida legislature, where every year we balanced our budget, cut spending and returned any money we collected to the taxpayers of our state. In many ways this was really terrible preparation for coming to washington, d. C. Because in this town we spend too much. Our focus is often disjointed and we continue to drive our country deeper into debt. There have been millions of pages written about the fall of the roman empire. They spent too much, had too many interventionist wars. And i wonder how history will judge us with a 19 trillion debt, heading to a 28 trillion debt with what i fear is the lack of a strategy to constrain the spending that will cripple our country. I believe histories will judge most partially the young people in the Congress Today who should be doing more to ensure that were meeting the fiscal obligations that we need to without unnecessarily spending on wasteful programs that will converting a needed safety net into an economically destructive hammock. Im grateful we have the historic opportunity to reduce entitlement spending because in the absence of those reforms, in the absence of curtailing the unfunded liabilities that we have in this country, we will hallow out america from the inside and it will be deeply tragic. I am grateful for the chairs leadership in setting some of those initial markers and i would simply say to those who want to keep spending, who think that only modest reductions in our entitlement outlays are sufficient. You know, i would suggest that my comments are not partisan rhetoric. Theyre not right wing or tea party driven. Theyre simply driven by math. Math that will ultimately overcome us and swallow our country hole if we do not enact bold conservative reform, to the likes of which i began to see in this budget. And i yield back. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. I now recognize the gentleman from georgia. Id like to thank the chair for your dedication and hard work. This has really been an enlightening process, and i thank you for your leadership. When i came to washington, i knew we had a serious debt problem and we had to get serious about solving it. What i didnt appreciate was the full extent of the fiscal challenges that we face. Once i joined this committee and looked at the federal budget, its processes and future projections, it didnt take me long to understand that the most dire issue facing us is our 19. 8 trillion in debt and the looming debt crisis of trillions more. As a lot of us know, the cause of this crisis is our unchecked mandatory spending. Without reforms, mandatory spending will soon will soon consume nearly all federal revenue, which compromises every other government promise Like National defense, veterans health, education, transportation and research that will have to be financed on borrowed money. Every dollar we borrowed to cover our out of control spending will cost us 1. 27 to pay back. When i say us, i should say future generations. I dont want to seem like this conversation is only about dollars and cents. It is not. It is actually a conversation about people. There are Many Americans that count on these programs. These essential entitlement programs provide a safety net for our elderly and vulnerable populations. These programs must be reformed. This is why we have approached this entire budget with the intent of fiscal discipline. We achieve this by prioritizing a budget that balances in ten years and obtains 2 200 billion in mandatory savings and provides our military with a much needed and long overdue defense pit. A lot of tough work has been done by this committee. This resolution lays the ground work. We must consider the future of our children, grandchildren and our actions here today will lead us to that. I yield back. The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from virginia is recognized for two minutes. Thank you, madam chair. I would also like to compliment your great work in this entire process and the colleagues here today who have done hard work. You have dealt into going around looking for savings, finding and creating new ways of looking at mandatory spending and it made tremendous progress on that. And i throughout this process have said that i would be flexible on the top line number, and i think weve done solid work on that. My major concern in this budget process has always been the linkage between the top line number were discussing today with a couple other trillion dollar pieces that transcend the power of this committee in some ways, but that are definitely related to our budget outlook. Of course, yesterday weve got staggering news on the health care piece thats a trillion piece linked to the Obamacare Tax increases. There is also the issue of the border adjustable piece. We have sought resolution on that and clarity on that, and we have not received clarity on that trillion dollar piece in how we should move forward. The major issue and anxiety ive had is the relationship between those two trillion dollar pieces and the progrowth policies that everyone around this table have just brought up. We need those progrowth policies to get us out of 20 trillion in debt and out of the 100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. My fears today have been confirmed a little bit. The Trump Administration just sent out news that instead of the corporate rate going down to 15, now theyre looking at the corporate rate being in the 20 to 25 range. I hope that is the end of the movement up on tax rates. So my worst fears about our ability to reach consensus on the Health Care Bill and border adjustable look like theyre coming to fruition in todays news. I am struggling with how we get those rates back down without that the American People will not be able to find jobs for their kids after high school and college. Wage rates will not go up, as we need them to do and, so, while i applaud the top line number and the hard work this committee has done, i still am asking our leadership to give us clarity on a connection between the health care trillion dollar piece, the border adjustable piece and the work of this committee. The gentleman yields back his time. The gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for two minutes. I thank the chair and i would echo my colleagues comments for kudos for our hard work and that of the committee. I guess the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. I think that to his point you raised a very important point in pushing this issue of mandatory savings. I think until we get our arms around that issue, were going to have profound budgetary problems. That having been said, i remain concerned about scale on the reconciliation front there. If you annualize the numbers, were looking at 20 billion a year. In the frame work of deficits that are roughly 750 billion a year. And you wont solve this 100 trillion contention liability or the 20 trillion debt we have with those kinds of numbers. I remained concerned about Economic Growth. I think some of the forecasts are still rosy and i dont think you ever build a household or business budget on rosy assumptions. But im ultimately voting for this based on it being a vehicle for tax reform which we have not seen in 30 years. I think its incredibly important. That having been said i remain concerned about what tax reform will look like. What id hate to do is sign off on this is a vehicle for tax reform. That would include the border adjustment tax. I represent charleston, we see a tremendous amount of import and export out of that city and out of the port. I remain concerned about the idea of, in essence, a trillion dollar tax. Ill probably have more to say on that later. I want to say thank you overall for your work and what youve done in bringing the committee together. And the gentleman from texas is recognized for two minutes. Thank you, madam chair. First i want to say what an honor its been to serve under your leadership and with my colleagues on this committee. Budgets reflect priorities and this reflect it is priorities of the majority of the American People. These priorities are to do the following. Rebuild our military and strengthen our National Security. The world has become increasingly dangerous and instability. Lets give our men and women in uniform the resources they need to be safe and successful as they prepare to confront these real and imminent threats. Number two, ensure sufficient funding for our national priorities, like a safe and abundant food supply, like investment in r and d and the United States global competitiveness, like infrastructure, especially in Rural America where we produce the fuel, food and fiber for our americans. This will pave the way so we can grow our economy and get our people back to work. Number four and finally and i believe most importantly, reduce the National Debt. One of the main reason it is American People are so frustrated and have lost confidence in the United States congress is because washington plays by a different set of rules. Nowhere is that more prominently displayed than in the budget process. For too long we have operated as if we have unlimited resources, when in reality were just spending our childrens inheritance. The American People have to live within their meerns and their government ought to do the same. I yield back. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. And i again recognize the Ranking Member and ask that he be allowed to yield time for the minoritys presentation. Without objection, so ordered. Thank you, chairman black. I would like to yield three minutes to the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. Molten. In addition to the massive cuts to programs that keep americans healthy and prosperous, this budget resolution puts our National Security in jeopardy by making short sided investments that set up a false choice between the military and other sources of National Strength and security, such as Economic Opportunity, safe communities and vigorous diplomacy. Diplomacy and foreign said keep the country out of conflict and facilitates stability around the world. They help address the root causes of religious and political extremism. That is why i am deeply troubled by the budget resolution we will be marking up today. I can tell you the budget proposed will put Young Service members at greater risk. This budget resolution cuts the International Affairs accounts by more than a billion more than what the house approach ya tors passed. This is 11 billion below the total enacted in fiscal year 2017. Adequately funding our diplomatic efforts saves american lives and helps prevent people from being radicalized into terrorists, protects americans at home and ensures critical assets to the military are protected overseas. The countries investment in foreign aid together currently make up only 1. 6 of the entire federal budget. There is a small price to pay compared to sending our servicemen and servicewomen into harms way. With that, i yield back. The gentleman yields back. I now yield three minutes to the gentleman from california. Thank you, Ranking Member. Todays republican Budget Proposal is full of dangerous revenue gimmicks and draconian cuts to critical programs like medicaid and snap. While defense funding rises from 622 billion in 2018 to 740 billion in 2027, todays proposal simultaneously cuts nondefense funding for the domestic programs, including education and Food Security by over 100 billion over the next ten years. This budget simply walks away from investments promoting Economic Security, job creation and innovation. Not only are we funding defense at an even higher level than the president requested, but we are doing so with such a narrow view of our National Security. One source of national i also sit on the House Armed Services committee and ive heard from many military leaders, inlewding secretary mattis himself, about the threat Climate Change poses to our military operations and institutions. Over 30 military sites in the United States are already at risk facing elevated risks because of sea level rise. On the west coast, wildfires season continues to grow longer and more intense. In my district, weve experienced over four significant fires in the last week alone. Last year in california fires threatened Camp Pendleton as well as van denberg air force base in my district. Theres no question Climate Change will increasingly impact our nations military infrastructure here and abroad. Ultimately, making it more difficult to fend americas interests. This budget resolution dramatically underfunds agencies dealing with this threat. This is irresponsible with the threats that we face and i encourage my colleagues to reexamine their priorities. I yield back. Gentleman yields back. I know yield three minutes to the the woman from texas ms. Jackson lee have some i thank the Ranking Member. I have no doubt of the commit meant of the chair of this committee, but i have to embracing the comments of the Ranking Member that says that this budget embraces the worst, the worst of the extreme of the trump budget. Yes, we are stewards of the American Peoples tax dollars, but this is what this budget simply wants to do. It wants to have massive cuts, tax cuts for millionaires while increasing tax increases for millions of working families. These are the working families that depend upon National Security. In the fy 2018 budget endangers National Security by narrowly focusing on defense spending. You do not make America Great if you do not put americans first. Every day americans many this budget are an afterthought from the horrible elimination of the fight against Climate Change to the decreasing of the Homeland Security budget by 3 billion, and as well by including monies for budget for a border wall of which no one needs or does not provide any form of security. A growing economy is key to our National Security. Foreign policy experts from both sides of the aisle agree that our National Power begins with the strong economy. But it also means we must have a healthy population and as michael morale, the former acting director and Deputy Director of the kraimt stated on february 28, 2016, the health of a nations economy is the single most important determinate in ability to protect itself. The single the most important determinate is an ability to project power and its National Security. National security involves diplomacy, it involves engage meant but yet the republican budget increases defense spending 72 billion more than the president s budget but it decreases the ability for diplomacy, its ability to engage with Foreign Countries to help in humanitarian aid. This budget ignores the experts and cuts budgets for the state department and u. S. Agency for international development. This is not a budget that supports and embraces National Security, this is not a budget that puts americans first. This is a budget that is simply focused on one thing, cutting medicare and medicaid we know drastically, but giving those massive tax cuts for billionaires, millionaires who do not ask for it and leave the working people of america dragging themselves through the streets looking for good jobs that were promised by this president and this administration, looking for good healthcare, and looking for the men and women who serve in the United States minimum tear to be comforted as they go to foreign places that their families here in the United States will be taken care of with housing and healthcare and education. National security is more than pumping up a 72 billion budget that now is overbloated, if you will, it is taking care of the American People. With that, i yield back. Gentlemanwoman yields back i the House Budget Committee is expected to continue debating and voting on amendments well in to the evening. The first meeting of the