[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 19, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2101-H2102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN BUDGET RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong opposition 
to the House Republican budget resolution. I believe our national 
budget should be a statement of our country's values. It should reflect 
the priorities of the American people for good jobs and safe 
communities, quality education and access to health care.
  Unfortunately, the Republican budget fails to fund these national 
priorities. The Republican budget has only one clear priority: To fund 
the President's $1.6 trillion tax cut, and the Republicans fund this 
tax cut at the expense of the social and economic interests of the 
American people.
  The Republican budget provides $1.6 trillion for the President's tax 
cut, but only provides $28 billion for a prescription drug plan. This 
will only cover 1.5 percent of our country's seniors' prescription drug 
costs over the next 10 years. Any additional funds spent to provide a 
prescription drug plan would have to come at the expense of other 
Medicare benefits. So Republicans are essentially offering our seniors 
the following choice: Prescription drug coverage or benefits. Pick one 
or the other, but you cannot have both.
  The Republican budget cuts $9.7 billion from the mandatory education 
programs. These include student loan programs and child nutrition 
programs. In 2004 alone, these cuts could push nearly \1/2\ million 
poor children out of child nutrition programs. Republicans are eager to 
fund the President's $1.6 trillion tax cut, but cannot seem to find the 
funds necessary to provide a school breakfast or lunch for our Nation's 
low-income children. For many of these children, access to school meals 
may be the only one assured source of good nutrition each day.
  Mr. Speaker, there are millions of Americans today whose parents 
cannot afford prescription drugs, whose children attend classes in 
bungalows, because their schools are run down and old. There are 
millions of Americans who are struggling to find work and provide for 
their families in the midst of our struggling economy. Yet Republicans 
are offering us a budget this week that cuts funding for every single 
domestic priority in order to fund a $1.6 trillion tax cut that will 
only help a small percentage of Americans. These tax cuts are even more 
inappropriate when you consider the fact that our country is about to 
embark on a war that will strain our already weakened financial 
resources.
  Our national budget should be a reflection of our priorities and 
values. It should be a budget based on making the right choices. Do we 
make room for

[[Page H2102]]

more expensive tax cuts, or provide affordable prescription drugs for 
our Nation's seniors? Do we fund a $1.6 trillion tax cut, or provide 
school lunches for our Nation's children? Do we focus on modernizing 
our Nation's schools and providing assistance for unemployed workers, 
or do we provide tax breaks for the few?
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Republicans have chosen the 
interests of the elite few over the needs of the many. It is clear 
where their priorities lie.
  I urge my colleagues to align their priorities with those of the 
American people and vote against the Republican budget resolution.

                          ____________________