mr. speaker , i yield myself such time as i may consume .  i would respectfully request that the gentleman give us the page number and paragraph of this budget blueprint that cuts the witness protection program .  as the gentleman knows , the budget document is a broad blueprint for spending that directs the authorizing committees , those committees of members who have developed expertise in their areas , to find savings through reconciliation instructions .  it allows members like the gentleman from new york ( mr. rangel )  on the committee on ways and means to best formulate those revenue measures that avoid amt taxing ; that allows members of the committee on energy and commerce to deal with the issues facing medicaid program , which all of the governors acknowledge is swallowing up state budgets ; that allows the committee on agriculture to fund within their committee 's jurisdiction those savings in a variety of programs .  this budget blueprint is a sound document that sets the course for our congress and for our nation for the coming year ; and the cuts that the gentleman refers to are reductions in the rate of growth in those programs , with the exception of the reconciliation instructions , which are a remarkable and historic first step to this congress restraining spending and funding priorities and simultaneously getting our arms around the deficit that both parties are understandably concerned about .  mr. speaker , i reserve the balance of my time .  