[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             DEJA VU BUDGET

                                 ______


                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 1996

  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of deep concern for our 
children, senior citizens and the working poor. This budget is deja vu 
all over again. I thought that the leadership learned a lesson last 
year when they shut down the Government and lost favor in the eyes of 
the American people but here we go again with the same old gimmickry. 
Just like last year, they are using the annual report published by the 
Medicare Board of Trustees to justify these extreme cuts in Medicare, 
while everyone knows that these cuts are going to used to pay for the 
tax cuts they plan to bestow on their wealthy friends.
  Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have 
the American people believe that they are doing seniors a favor by 
causing them to have to choose between going to the doctor and buying 
groceries. This is no favor it is a vicious attack on the Nation's 
elderly. There are over 388,000 medicare beneficiaries in Mississippi 
and this bill will have a devastating impact on them.
  Mr. Speaker, because this budget is just like the old one, more than 
6 million families with children will see a reduction in the earned 
income tax credit. This is a credit that goes to working families and 
is not a welfare payment. To take this credit away from working 
families makes about as much sense as asking the Bulls to play without 
Michael Jordan tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day when we are forced to stand before the 
American people as leaders and speak out to protect the most vulnerable 
people in our society against an irresponsible plan that would cause 
undue pain. I urge a ``no'' vote on this budget resolution.

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