[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E644-E645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER 
            ASSISTANCE AND RESCISSIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1995

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                               speech of

                         HON. RONALD D. COLEMAN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 15, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1158) making 
     emergency supplemental appropriations for additional disaster 
     assistance and making rescissions for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1995, and for other purposes:

  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the 
rescissions contained in H.R. 1158. I oppose this measure for several 
reasons, primarily because of the detrimental effect it will have on 
our children.
  No one suffers under this bill more than our children. They have been 
targeted to carry the bulk of the cuts to pay for the tax cuts for our 
Nation's most affluent.
  We are not cutting bureaucrats. We are denying children who have no 
control over their circumstances an opportunity to learn in safe, clean 
schools with a nutritious meal in their stomachs. We are denying 
children in low income families a warm bed.
  This measure will have a negative impact on my home State and my 
district. For my colleagues, I would like to point out a number of 
programs vital to the productivity and welfare of Texans which will be 
slashed or eliminated by this bill.
  Under this bill, Texas will lose over $1 billion in funding. H.R. 
1158 reduces the funding Texas would have received under formula 
allocations by half a million dollars. This measure cuts over $162 
million from housing modernization, operating subsidies, and section 8 
vouchers funding for my State. Texas will lose $20 million from 
Community Development Block Grants, $30 million from the low-income 
home energy assistance program, and over $170 million in job training 
and employment services programs. Texas children will lose over $70 
million in school programs.
  Two cuts contained in this package will have a disparaging impact on 
residents of dilapidated, low-income housing. The reduction in payments 
for the operation of low-income housing projects and the elimination of 
funding for the Severely Distressed Public Housing Fund will result in 
a reduction of affordable housing for the residents of my district, 
where public housing is already at maximum capacity and 5000 families 
are on a waiting list for affordable housing. This cut will result in a 
loss of over 200 jobs in a region with unemployment over 9 percent.
  The reduction in the payments for the operation of low-income housing 
projects will fall disproportionately on housing authorities. These 
housing authorities, which begin their fiscal year July 1 or October 1, 
could see their funding cut by as much as 50 percent. This reduction 
will mean a reduction in maintenance, security, and supportive 
services.
  The Severely Distressed Public Housing fund is targeted to help those 
who live in some of our nation's most dilapidated and crime infested 
developments. The President had intended this last year of funding to 
assist communities with the worst public housing. This money is 
urgently needed. In many instances this money has already been 
obligated and contracts have been signed. Not funding this program in 
1996 is one thing, reneging on our commitments for 1995 is another. 
This will result in long and costly litigation over the cancellation of 
this commitment.
  Under this measure, funding for three national parks in Texas will 
lose funding. The Chamizal National Memorial, Palo Alto National 
Battlefield, and the San Antonio Missions will lose funding. These 
parks preserve our unique multicultural heritage. Although, less known 
than the Yellowstone National Park or the Grand Canyon, they are no 
less important and serve to commemorate and preserve an unique part of 
our history, culture, or landscape. Under this proposal, programs to 
promote this aspect of our heritage will continue to be underfunded and 
neglected.
  I provided the Rules Committee an opportunity to make in order an 
amendment to 
[[Page E645]] eliminate funding for $400 million in low-priority 
highway demonstration projects. My amendment, which would have cut real 
pork, was not made in order. Instead the Republicans chose to cut 
funding for programs such as Healthy Start, which is aimed at improving 
the health of unborn children, and to eliminate over 50,000 pregnant 
mothers and infants from the WIC program.
  Remember this bill only provides an $11 billion down payment. The 
Republican tax cuts will cost over $700 billion. The majority felt 
compelled to cut programs for children and the elderly first. It scares 
me, as it should any parent, to consider where they will get the 
remaining $690 billion.
  Why are we doing this? So that big industry and the rich can be given 
a tax break that I doubt they want. I can not imagine any businessman 
that wants to see the next generation of high school graduates turn out 
to be an illiterate workforce of dropouts. I know I don't and my 
constituents don't.
  I do not support the rescissions contained in this bill and I urge my 
colleagues to vote against it. I believe that it cuts the wrong 
programs--programs that hurt children, low-income Americans, and the 
elderly--for the wrong reasons.


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