February 03,2003

Statement of Senator Max Baucus on President Bush’s FY2004 Budget

I appreciate the leadership President Bush has shown with the ongoing situation in Iraq, but I am very concerned and troubled that he is not taking our country’s long-term health into account. As leaders, it is our responsibility to plan for not only this generation, but for generations to come.

I fear the President’s budget will only lead the country into a spiral of deficit spending. I agree we need to cut taxes in order to stimulate the economy, but we need to make sure the economic impact is immediate. This budget does very little to grow the economy in FY2003. I’ve put together a stimulus plan that will send more money to our cash-strapped states and will encourage businesses and families to invest in the economy.

A time of war is a time to stand together and make sacrifices for the good of the whole. I am hopeful that the Administration is open to working together with Congress to craft final spending levels that more accurately reflect the times. I share the President’s vision of strengthening the economy and getting more money in people’s pockets, but we can’t let today’s decisions burden the shoulders of generations to come.