As Prepared for Delivery

Contact: White House, Office of the Press Secretary, 202-456-2580

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, Nov. 13 /Standard Newswire/ -- The following are excerpts from President Bush's remarks on the budget:

On Congress' tax-and-spend philosophy:

The Congress now sitting in Washington holds this philosophy.  Their majority was elected on a pledge of fiscal responsibility, but so far it is acting like a teenager with a new credit card.  This year alone, leaders in Congress are proposing to spend 22 billion dollars more than my budget provides.  Some of them claim this is not really much of a difference – and the scary part is that they seem to mean it.  Over five years, their proposed spending spree adds up to an extra 205 billion dollars.  Put another way, that is about 1,300 dollars in higher spending every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day, of every year – for the next five years.

On raising taxes:

Congress is not picky about how to raise taxes. To them, every bill on the floor is an opportunity for a tax hike.  Congress has proposed tax increases in the farm bill … the energy bill … the small business bill … and the children's health bill.  If you find a bill that doesn't have a tax increase in it, just wait a while – chances are they'll add one in. 

The price of these tax increases would not be paid in the halls of Congress – it would be paid in living rooms and shop floors and office buildings across America.  Higher taxes would mean that you have to put in longer hours to bring home the same amount of money, which would lead to more time at work and less time with your family.  Higher taxes would mean paying more to meet the priorities of Washington politicians, and less to meet the priorities of your family.  And higher taxes would mean fewer opportunities for entrepreneurs … a tougher time for workers trying to get ahead … and a greater likelihood of a slowdown across our economy.

On supplemental funding for our troops:

When it comes to taxes and spending, Congress has not compiled a very good record – but there is still some time to make up for it.  A good way to start would be to pass the supplemental war funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.  As Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England recently wrote to Congress, these funds are needed as soon as possible, and delaying them could have, quote, "a profoundly negative impact on the defense civilian workforce, depot maintenance, base operations, and training activities."  Congress's responsibility is clear:  It should not go home for the Christmas holidays without giving our troops on the frontlines the funds they need to succeed.  I know that some in Congress oppose my decisions on Iraq – but whatever your position on the war, we should all be able to agree that our troops deserve the full support of their leaders in Washington, D.C.