[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 165 (Tuesday, October 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H10647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ARE WE TAKING CARE OF OUR NATION'S CHILDREN?

  (Mr. ROEMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, 22 percent of our Nation's children live 
below the poverty line--22 percent. That is the largest percentage of 
any developed country. So what are we doing about that? Are we acting 
in a bipartisan way to make sure that we take care of our Nation's 
children? No.
  In this reconciliation package this week, we are cutting Head Start 
programs by $137 million, kicking children out of existing programs; 
and this is a program that President Ronald Reagan sought to increase 
funding for.
  At the same time, lobbyists are arguing very successfully for more 
funding for B-2 bombers that the Defense Department does not event 
want, and we are cutting children out of Head Start programs.
  Mr. Speaker, this is coldhearted, this is short-sighted, and I hope 
that we work together in a bipartisan way to take care of our Nation's 
children, 22 percent of which live below the poverty line.

                          ____________________