Quigley Proposal: Reinvent the Federal Budget

WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) took to the House floor, calling for Congress to end its ideological stalemate and reach a compromise in a deal to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Speaker John Boehner announced today he would send his plan to the House floor for a vote rather than return to the negotiating table, despite a pledge from more than 50 senators to vote against the bill.

"We will be remembered in spite of ourselves," Quigley said, quoting an 1862 address to Congress by President Abraham Lincoln. "President Lincoln told the story of a nation that faced terrible consequences and yet had the fortitude to charge ahead toward a victory that includes compromises."

Quigley authored a compromise deficit reduction plan to save $2 trillion over the next 10 years in his Reinventing Government: The Federal Budget reports. The two-part reform plan is aimed at putting the United States on solid financial footing for the short and long term. Part I focuses on more transparency in the budget process by bringing all federal spending on budget. Part II includes 60 recommendations to save $2 trillion dollars over 10 years.

Savings range from ending tax giveaways for oil and gas companies to reducing America's military presence in Asia and Western Europe.

The full text of today's speech is below and video is available here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. "Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history," said Lincoln in an address to Congress in 1862. "We of this Congress and this administration, we will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility."

Lincoln didn't say that one side of the battle lay a Democratic victory and on the other side a Republican defeat or vice versa. Lincoln didn't say that this was a victory achieved without great compromise. Lincoln didn't say if you do things my way, with my party, we'll win this one.

He told the story of a nation that faced terrible consequences and yet had the extraordinary foresight and fortitude to charge ahead toward a victory that includes compromises.

"We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth."

His warning stands today.