Brat Amendment to 21st Century Cures Act

Congressman McClintock co-sponsored with Congressman Dave Brat an amendment to the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6). The amendment was not approved. Congressman McClintock delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of the amendment:

Brat Amendment to 21st Century Cures Act
July 10, 2015

The greatest danger facing our country is the national debt that now exceeds our entire economy. This year, we spent $230 billion just to pay interest on that debt. The CBO warns that on our current trajectory, interest payments will exceed our entire defense budget in just eight years.

Behold the chaos in Greece and consider that our nation is not far behind.

Congress has labored mightily to enact a budget that saves us from this dismal future. But having set that course, we must stay that course.

The underlying bill makes many worthy changes in law. But it evades the discipline the budget requires to save our country from the fate of Greece.

Mr. Brat's amendment places this bill back within the boundaries of that budget and can be easily accommodated by cutting lower priority spending.

The question before us is whether we will fund our priorities responsibly, or follow Greece to ruin.

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