Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2006
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006 -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 12, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005
The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 95) establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2006, revising appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2005, and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2007 through 2010:
Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 95, the Republican Budget Resolution, and in support of the Democratic Substitute offered by Mr. SPRATT.
The Republican budget does not reflect the priorities of our Nation or my Minnesota constituents and will almost certainly have a negative impact on America's families. This legislation reduces support for law enforcement, fire fighters and local units of government. It fails to meet our commitment to our veterans-at a time when we are asking more and more of our military and their families. Even the Republicans' most creative use of accounting gimmicks and phony projections still yields a record federal budget deficit, makes no allowance for the President's plan for Social Security, and fails to include the Iraq war in the budget-which is currently costing taxpayers $5 billion a month.
This budget eliminates opportunities for our children to be successful, including vocational education programs, safe and drug free schools, and Even Start. Republicans continue to underfund No Child Left Behind and college loan programs that provide access to higher education for millions of Americans. The budget proposes to make deep cuts in Medicaid-a proposal that will hurt low-income families, the elderly and disabled, health care workers and our hospitals. These health care cuts will also create severe budget difficulties for our states and have been strongly opposed by a bipartisan group of governors. The Republican budget slashes funding for clean water programs, farm conservation measures and funding for brownfields development.
In fact, the proposal put forward by the Majority inflicts so much burden on average families that it has been called 'unjust' by a broad religious coalition and was opposed by the major veterans organizations. If the federal budget is a document that reflects the values of President Bush and the Republicans in Congress then this budget is not only 'unjust' but void of mainstream American values.
I want fiscally responsibility, not larger deficits. My constituents demand a common sense budget that returns our nation to sound fiscal decision making and balances the budget within seven years using common sense, pay-as-you-go budgeting like every family does. We need to put family priorities first by maintaining strong national security, strengthening education, protecting veterans' health care and ensuring families are economically secure. For these reasons I strongly support the Democratic budget, a common sense alternative to the dangerous and irresponsible Republican plan.
This Congress must make a real effort, as proposed by the Democrats, to reduce the deficit rather than allow it to grow and remain a burden for the next generation. We need to be honest about the cost of the war in Iraq, rather than continue to pass so-called "emergency" supplemental appropriations as we did earlier this week. And we need to put families first. The President and House Republicans choose tax breaks for corporations over students and veterans' as their top priority.
The Democratic substitute restores fiscal discipline and reduces the deficit while protecting the services our families depend upon, keeping our communities and economy strong. I am proud to support the Democratic substitute and I will continue to fight to ensure our families priorities are the priorities of Congress.
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