[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 97 (Wednesday, June 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          HOW AMERICA WILL WIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore [Mr. Fox of Pennsylvania.] Under a previous 
order of the House, the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. Jackson-Lee. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to share 
in the salute to our flag, and my remarks now, I think, are really in 
line with what America is all about.
  I looked at a startling figure this afternoon, and that was to 
determine that more than 14 million families in America make less than 
$10,000.
  Many of us, of course, have risen to speak on behalf of business 
development and enhanced opportunities for our corporations so that 
jobs can be created, but simply think about someone who is making only 
$10,000, a hard-working family, some of whom have children and trying 
to survive in this country.
  I would ask the question to my Republican colleagues, ``Why are we 
here?'' We certainly have not come here to be whiners and to complain 
about who has the better offering when it comes to budget and deficit 
reduction. I think the president of the United States did what was his 
responsibility. I reviewed the budgets that were on the table, 
including his previous submitted budget. He recognized there were 14 
million citizens who were making under $10,000 and were suffering in 
this economy, and he began to draft a budget that responds to the 
bipartisan approach that is needed.
  First of all, I think it should be noted that the deficit has gone 
down in the last year and 2 years. Second, I think it is well to 
recognize that the budget that was passed by this House, and I disagree 
with, was a very hard budget. It was a budget that was extreme, and the 
President now offers us an opportunity for reasoned and bipartisan 
debate, one we focus on education. It gives people the opportunity in 
the 21st century.
  Second, I think it gives us a longer period of time to in a rational 
way stem the tide of a possible recession, to extend budget deficit 
reduction and a balanced budget to a 10-year mark. It preserves certain 
funding for certain programs that create jobs, and likewise it does not 
give a tax cut to unwilling Americans, meaning those who have said ``I 
don't need a tax cut; I'm making over $200,000 a year,'' but it does 
recognize the need to respond to working men and women and provide them 
wit a tax break.
  It is important, now that we have several budgets on the table, that 
we be concerned about Medicare and we do not make the deep and dividing 
cuts that would damage some of the needs of seniors who have to make 
determinations to either buy prescription drugs or to eat. The 
President looks at this in a manner that is focused, is not mean 
spirited and answers the needs of all Americans.
  I hope some day we will face a country that has all of our American 
citizens working at their fullest extent, that sees our 14 million 
citizens, families that are making under $10,000 make some than that, 
that they are able to enjoy life, vacation, have a home, send their 
children to college. But we will not get to that point unless we 
recognize that a budget must respond to the needs of all of us.
  Education is the key. It breaks us out of the shackles of our under-
opportunity to more opportunity.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important not to be whiners. I think 
it is important to come and do the job that we have been asked to do, 
review the President's budget, review the budget that was passed out of 
the House, the Senate budget, avoid a crisis in October so that this 
Government is not shut down, begin to respond to the needs of those who 
asked us to open the doors of educational opportunity in elementary, 
secondary and higher education, not focus on the privileged few with 
major tax breaks and tax cuts, but focus on deficit reduction in a 
reasoned manner, and do not disrespect all of the good work that our 
seniors have done by making them make the choices between prescription 
drugs and simply eating, and do a reasoned reform of health care so 
that our seniors can be protected with a reasoned Medicare program, and 
those who are indigent, with a reasoned Medicaid program, and begin 
this debate not from a point of who gets the political brownie points, 
but in fact how will America win.
  I think America wins when we sit down and discuss a budget that is 
fair and even-handed. I think the President has offered us an 
opportunity for that reasoned debate, and, Mr. Speaker, I would hope, 
as many of my colleagues, Republicans, have noted, and many Democrats 
have noted, that we will take the opportunity and the challenge and 
will work on behalf of the American people.


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