[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 22, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS LEGISLATION

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as I recollect the 
pronouncements being made by this House just a year ago, Republicans 
said that we will not, this House will not raid Social Security and 
Medicare, from the very highest levels of their leadership. 
Interestingly, today, we come with a back room supplemental 
appropriations bill that raises the debt limit so that we can, in fact, 
raid Medicare and Social Security.
  This is legislation that we should not support. Social Security is 
the very underpinnings of security for hard-working Americans. Medicare 
provides health care for hard-working Americans who have reached 
retirement. Here we are today passing a bill or attempting to pass a 
bill that will raise the debt limit, a very dangerous and cynical 
provision that allows the Federal Government to break its own spending 
limit, therefore undermining again the trust of the American people, 
believing that Social Security should be there for all who work hard.
  We need a more responsible and honest and bipartisan budget. We need 
to protect and strengthen Social Security. We need to protect and save 
Medicare. We need to vote no on this rule and we need to vote no on 
this supplemental if, of course, it proposes an increase in the debt 
limit.

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