WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders used a House-Senate budget conference committee meeting on Wednesday to vent about his frustrations with the economy, including unequal distribution of wealth and tax cuts for the wealthy.

The Vermont independent, a member of the committee, said during the panel’s second public meeting that, “it’s important to understand the past as we go forward.” He brought up the Iraq war, hoping to drive home his point that decisions made during the Bush administration are the reason the country began deficit spending.

“Is it fair to say that the reason we began to go into deficit was because we went to war in Iraq, which by the time we take care of the last veteran is going to cost us about $3 trillion?” Sanders asked Congressional Budget Office Director Doug Elmendorf during Wednesday’s meeting. “How do we pay for that war?”

Elmendorf began explaining that Congress cut taxes during that period, until Sanders cut in.

“You’re not suggesting that in the middle of a war which cost $3 trillion Congress actually cut taxes for the rich?” he asked, sarcastically.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., interrupted with a chuckle, saying “Bernie, that’s fine. Come on.”

But Elmendorf, smiling, finished explaining that Congress cut taxes “for a lot of people” and spent a lot of money overseas.

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