[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 10, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H5161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AMERICA OPPOSES THE REPUBLICAN ``LEAVE 12 MILLION CHILDREN BEHIND'' ACT

  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 tonight to protest the Republicans' 
tax cut bill, the Leave 12 Million Children Behind Act.
  Soon after this tax bill was passed, it was discovered that the 
Republicans deliberately chose to drop a provision that would have 
helped 12 million children living in moderate-income working families. 
Among these children left behind are 1 million children of active duty 
military.
  Mr. Speaker, let me make this clear. Leaving 12 million children 
behind was not a last-minute oversight; it was a deliberate decision by 
the Republicans. As our Nation struggles through a Bush recession, 
Congress has a responsibility to do what is right for families who may 
need a little extra help, and it is obvious that the Republicans are 
shirking this responsibility.
  The most shocking part of the Republican decision is its impact on 
families in the military. Many enlisted men and women make far less 
than $26,000 per year. As a result, their children will not be eligible 
for the family tax credit. It is clear from this callous denial of 
assistance that the Republicans' priorities lie with tax cuts for the 
wealthy, not with the livelihoods of working families and our 
servicemen and women in the armed services. These priorities are 
clearly out of step with the American people.
  Mr. Speaker, Democrats are working to help these families. Democrats 
have introduced legislation that restores these benefits to all working 
families and ensures that our men and women in the military are not 
denied tax relief while they are fighting in Iraq.
  However, the Republican majority refuses to even consider this 
legislation. According to the Republican majority leader, ``There's a 
lot of things,'' he says, ``that are more important than that.''
  Well, Mr. Speaker, I disagree; and I join my Democratic colleagues 
today to once again urge the Republican leadership to restore the child 
tax credit to all working families. Democrats will continue to fight so 
Congress can fulfill its promise to truly leave no child behind.

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