[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 31 (Thursday, March 11, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H1057-H1063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bishop of Utah). Under the Speaker's
announced policy of January 7, 2003, the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Meek) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority
leader.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, once again it
is a wonderful day to be here in the House and share not only with my
colleagues, but with American people, the issues that are facing not
only our economy but our children's future.
I guess I would have to start, since this is budget time and as we
are here on the floor simultaneously, the Committee on the Budget is
meeting to try to work out this $2.4 trillion budget
[[Page H1058]]
that the President has sent here to the Hill. I must say to my
colleagues that it is important on behalf of Americans, on behalf of
working Americans, and on behalf of individuals that are unemployed in
our country, that we make the right decisions not only for the future
but for today.
I can tell you that I am very, very concerned about the direction we
are going in right now of Members just following this White House with
what they send us. We are trying to do the same thing with what they
send us, as we just rubber stamp it and send it through. We cannot
allow that to happen.
Under this budget, the reason we are in trouble today is it relates
to just under 3 million jobs that have been lost and Americans out of
work as we speak today. It is important for us to remember that we
still have a health care plan that we have to put forth not only for
Americans, but also to allow small businesses to be able to provide a
health care plan for Americans who do not have it.
I will tell you right now for those that do have it, in many cases,
their contribution is so high and it is continuing to grow, it is just
really getting out of hand. But being a creature of the State
legislature, where I used to be for some 8 years in the State of
Florida, I cannot help but stand here on behalf of State legislators
throughout the country, Democrats and Republicans, Independents and
non-party, members of the legislatures throughout this country need
representation here in the U.S. House of Representatives. And also
local government, non-partisan local government members, partisan local
government members need a voice here in the Capital and, not only a
voice, but they need action.
I will tell you I came to the floor this afternoon just to share a
few things with my colleagues so that they do not think that this is
just a Kendrick-Meek report. And there are a few Meeks out there that
are a little disgruntled as it relates to the President's budget that
falls short of a good vision for our country.
Let me just make a case in point. I could not help this morning when
I knocked the dew off the paper here in the Capital city, I could not
help but find that the National Association of State Legislatures, that
I was a member of for 8 years, is a bipartisan group. That is,
legislators come together to make sure that States are not left behind
and that they are able to put forth the best government possible for
their particular State.
And I could not help but see this article that is on the Federal page
of the Washington Post today, and it says, ``President's Unfunded
Mandates Criticized. Group says that States face huge bills.''
Now, I want to make sure that the American people understand what I
am talking about. When the President says that he wants to make his tax
cuts permanent, he speaks very passionately about making tax cuts
permanent on behalf of the most wealthy Americans. Now, I think we can
all be under the umbrella as it relates to middle-class tax cuts, as it
relates to child credit, as it relates to tax cuts that are helping
small businesses. But when you start looking at the big tax cut for the
wealthiest Americans, I do mean the individuals who are not knocking on
the doors saying I need a tax cut, we are giving it to them. And we are
giving it to them at the detriment of our education system.
This points out Leaving No Child Behind as an unfunded mandate to
States. I think it is very, very important for us to remember that it
is okay to talk about standards because that is free. We can hand
standards down to State governments and they can hand standards down to
local school boards that will then impose them on children. Nothing
wrong with that under a plan that is going to work.
But that makes that very problematic for hard-working teachers and
for students that are trying to achieve this goal and for legislators
that are trying to put together a budget because States that do not
have the luxury that we have here in Washington, D.C. where we will
just put it on the charge card. We will forestall it off to another
generation or this generation to pay it later because we want to be the
ice cream and cake Congress, or ice cream and cake administration.
At a time of war and at a time that we are looking at the deficit
that is, I must say, $520 billion in change, that is going to continue
to happen or continue to roll out unless we stop this President now as
it relates to his budget and do not make these tax cuts permanent.
Let me take an excerpt, Mr. Speaker, from this article today in the
Washington Post. ``The President's budget next year will increase the
burdens to States $34 billion, according to the report made public in a
news conference at the National Council of State Legislators in their
winter leadership meeting in Washington, D.C., accusing the Federal
Government of cost shifting.
That is not just something that they are saying. It is for real.
Accusing the Federal Government of cost shifting. Utah House Speaker
Stevens, who is a Republican, I must add, president of the National
Council of State Legislators said, ``We have seen increases in practice
of these recent years, and we are concerned that this is going to get
worse.''
Let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, there is no way in the world
that State governments that are facing a $78 billion deficit across the
country are going to close that gap if we are thinking about the
wealthiest Americans. We cannot shore up the Social Security trust fund
and making sure that we are able to provide Social Security, the
promise that we made to so many Americans, if we make these tax cuts
permanent.
Now, the President is saying that the tax cuts are going to help the
economy. Well, I beg to differ. Because right now we are looking at a
job loss of 3 million jobs, just under 3 million jobs. And he would
have to go north of that number to even be able to show an increase. So
since the Great Depression, no president like this one under his watch
has actually seen this kind of job loss.
And I think it is important that we take very close note to what this
situation is, not only to us as Americans, adult Americans, but to our
children. People talk about our children's children. I think it is also
important that this article talks about we like to pass things that
sound good.
{time} 1630
We want to pass clearer skies. I doubt if there will be funding. We
have already passed the Leave No Child Behind, which States are now
saying that the Federal government, as it recommends, the Federal
commitments, we have done just that, we have left children behind.
We like to talk about the war on terror. I must say the effort on
terror because wars are very costly, and I think it is very, very
important that we remember, and especially as it relates to my
colleagues who were just on the floor commending the President and the
justification on behalf of the whole Iraq experience, let me just say
this, it is important that we support our troops. Our troops are going
to do what they are told to do. Rightfully so. The Commander-in-Chief
is the leader. But I will tell you that as Americans, we have to pay
very close attention to what one may do to take the attention off of
the real agenda.
And I will tell you time after time again, if you watch the President
as he moves throughout the country and has press conferences and things
of that nature, we talk about standards. He talks about standards. He
talks about the fact that he is compassionate towards seniors and
veterans and all of the soft music that may be in the background as it
relates to his speeches; but I will tell you in the real world that is
not the case. We are leaving the troops's children and their parents
and their loved ones that are over there with sand in their teeth in
Iraq or Afghanistan or in Haiti behind.
It is important that we have remember and we look at the fine print
here. We have veterans that are waiting 3 months to get a prescription
filled through the VA. Now, I do not fault the good people who are
trying to work with what they have at the VA. But I wish that the
President and I wish that this Congress would move forth in this budget
to make sure that the VA can cut that in half.
Concurrent receipt. I am so glad that my colleagues on the Democratic
side had enough gumption to be able to pull a bill up to this floor to
allow a veteran that is disabled, so they do not have a veterans tax,
of taxing them while they
[[Page H1059]]
are disabled and a veteran at the same time. This leadership is
important.
I want to make sure that the American people do not feel that this is
some sort of partisan argument against the President. I will tell you
individuals will have their opportunity to stand in judgment of this
administration in the coming months. But I will tell you this as
Members of Congress, it is very important that articles like this where
you have Republican members of the State legislature saying that we are
shifting the cost to them, and when we cut the Federal commitment,
which when we give this huge tax cut that has already been given to the
most wealthy Americans, that there will be no money to respond to the
States.
Now, how this works in the real world when you have $78 billion in
deficit throughout the country, then what do the States do? Do they
raise taxes? Nine times out of ten, they do not. They increase fees.
Your driver's license costs a little bit more. For individuals that are
in coastal States, registration for your boat may go up a little bit
more. For individuals that buy hunting licenses throughout this
country, sportsmen, they pay more for their hunting license because the
wildlife officers or the wildlife commission, their budget is going to
be cut. So when that happens, what happens to the counties, our
counties? They were just up here. Well, the cities were up here and I
am going to get to them in a minute.
Our counties were just up here recently. And they were so very, very
concerned. They are thinking that help is on the way, and that they are
going to get some sort of relief. They look to the States for relief.
The States are not going to give them the dollars that they used to
give them rightfully. So what they should do so they can put forth the
function to be able to make sure their residents, taxpaying Americans,
are able to have some level of government services, or some level of
police services or fire services, or homeland preparedness.
That is not going to happen. You make these tax cuts permanent for
the most wealthy Americans, this country is going to continue to see
what this speaker said, the president of the Senate of Utah said, that
we are concerned it is going to get worse.
So basically, if we do not listen to the chairman of the National
Conference of State Legislators make his arguments, it is almost like
this Congress, Mr. Speaker, taking out a carton of milk and taking a
smell of it and saying, wow, it is spoiled. Let me put it back in the
refrigerator. Maybe it will be fresh tomorrow. We do know that is not
going to happen.
I feel so bad for my colleagues that are ``deficit hawks.'' It must
be very difficult to come up with an argument of where we can kind of
cut this deficit in half. How can you do it when you have got a
President that is willing to say, let us make sure that we make the tax
cuts permanent and the more taxes you pay, the more money you should
get. That may sound good in a speech, but in reality, you have
Americans receiving on average somewhere maybe 50, $300 in rebate, and
then you have millionaires receiving thousands, hundreds of thousands
of dollars so that they can go on and do the things that they do, and
it does not help the economy whatsoever.
Job growth. Let us just talk about that for a minute, because it is
important since we have themed this special order to talk about States,
talk about counties, talk about local governments, talk about school
boards, about how the devolution of taxes will end up affecting every
American's life. Let us talk about that for a minute.
The President said, hang in there. He was talking to some workers the
other day. Just hang in there a little longer. It will be okay. It is
going to work itself out. I must beg to differ with the President,
because I feel this is the sour milk scenario once again. Let us put it
back in the refrigerator. Maybe it will be fresh tomorrow. We know it
will not be. The evidence is not there to justify the economic backing
of what the President may feel as it relates to giving more tax cuts.
My colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), on the other side
of the aisle, the Republican leader, last year he said there is nothing
better the government can do, I am paraphrasing, than at a time of war
than to give tax cuts.
Cake and ice cream.
We can not do that. We are supposed to be the responsible ones.
Members of Congress who know better should do better. And unless we
stop marching in lockstep, I must say on the Democratic side that is
not the case, but on the Republican side, there seems to be a sense of
pride that we need to just kind of hide behind this administration
saying that it is okay. But it is not okay. For us to get to the top of
where we were, I must adjust 3\1/2\ years ago looking at surpluses, now
we have the largest deficit in the history of the country.
How did we get here in such a short time? Let us just give the tax
cuts to the most wealthy individuals. Just put it this way, 56 percent
of the tax cuts under the Bush plan is to the most wealthy Americans.
Now, I am not standing here saying I do not like individuals who are
able to do the things they do, but these are the wealthiest of the
wealthy. And it is very, very important for those of us that are here
and have the power to do so, bring about the kinds of change that this
country deserves.
Now, let me just say as it relates to the jobs, the 3 million jobs
lost, the administration has changed the forecast 3 times. Well, we are
going to be here by this day. No, I am sorry. We will be here by this
day. No, we will be here by this day, just to try to get some sort of
goal that could be met. And it is just not adding up, and I will tell
you that it is very, very important that we remember that as Members of
Congress, that we stand on behalf of what is right for the country, not
just because administration and the Vice President comes here and he
gets over here in the side room and the next thing you know, you have
Members on the other aisle walking back in feeling very beat down and,
well, I guess I got to go here and be with the home team.
Well, the home team has gotten us into a 3 million job deficit, the
largest deficit in the history of the country and climbing. We have
State legislators that are saying, oh, my goodness, they are shifting
the burden over to us. And this budget alone, the next year, increased
burdens will be on the States on top of what I am telling you right now
will be $34 billion. That is not change. That is real money.
What is going to happen to you American people that are working every
day, that are taking care of your family every day, that are doing all
the things that this country has asked you to do to make us strong?
Your children, they go to school every day. They are trying to make
their lives better every day. They have hopes of going to college one
day. But what we are doing here and what this administration, what the
Bush administration is putting on this country right now is very, very
unfortunate, and I am sorry to say it, dangerous economically. And our
democracy depends on a strong economy.
Now, I will tell you that when the States make their budgets,
obviously, they have to look at cuts. Their commitment is going to cut
to local government. That means that the feeding program in your local
community is going to probably end up reaching the ax. Here in the
Federal, in this budget, we cut the COPS program, putting community
police officers in communities to what? Prevent crime. Not respond to
it, but prevent it. That is cut. You think the States are going to be
able to pick up that burden? Of course not.
Then you look at programs as it relates to your quality of life,
parks and recreations, that builds character in our communities
throughout America. What has going to happen there? Maybe the summer
program may not be there for your child. It does not matter what
community you live in. I am not talking about Chicago, even though that
would be an issue. I am not talking about Los Angeles, even though that
would be an issue. I am not talking about just Miami and just my
district because the State commitment has been cut because the Federal
commitment has been cut to be able to allow tax breaks, permanent, on
behalf of the most wealthy Americans.
I am not just talking about those cities. I am talking about
Youngstown, Ohio. I am talking about small cities like Ocala, Florida.
I am talking about towns and villages that count on State dollars to be
able to help make and
[[Page H1060]]
provide the good services on behalf of their constituents.
Let us talk about cities. Well, cities, they count on counties. They
counts on State governments. They count on the Federal Government. The
cities were up here last week, which was quite interesting, and I took
the time to listen to their arguments. And I will tell you right now,
the cities are very concerned about the direction that we have
continued to head in. They want homeland dollars. We talk about
homeland security here in Washington. Yes, it is a good thing. I am on
the Select Committee on Homeland Security. Yes, that is a very
important committee. We have an appropriations subcommittee on homeland
security. But let me tell you where the front line security takes
place. That is in our cities and that is in our counties and that is in
our small towns. And I will tell you right now they are hurting and
they are feeling the pinch.
Now, you may, in a speech made by the President or by some Members on
the other side, defending the President's policies of 3 years, of not
really a job growth. And then when you see a job growth, it is about
that big. And then we start talking about trying to get McDonald's and
Burger King to recategorize to make it manufacturing jobs to try to add
on to say, okay, we have a nice little stack there now of jobs. Look
what I have done.
This is so very, very important that we remember that we cannot allow
this to happen, what the President has put forth in this budget of
making these tax cuts permanent.
Now, I think it is important as we look at homeland security or
homefront security. We have police departments right now that need
equipment. We have already taken the COPS program and snatched that rug
out from under them, the most positive and aggressive program of
preventing crime in this country in a very long time. And because we
have taken those dollars away, police chiefs and sheriffs are hurting.
Right now they are responding to crime in many cases. They are not
preventing it.
{time} 1645
I will tell you right now, I guarantee you I do not even have to take
a poll. I do not have to call CNN or MSNBC or any of the networks or
the talking heads that are on 24 hours. And I guarantee you, walk up to
any American and you can ask them this question: One, do you want to
prevent crime or do you want crime to happen and be reported? And as we
start looking at this bad trend of the Bush administration of fighting
on behalf of the wealthiest Americans, that is going to continue to
happen. Crime will go up. Police chiefs are going to have to work with
what they have on behalf of providing the very safety that Americans
deserve in big and large cities. So when we talk about tax cuts and act
like it is really not anything that affects Americans, it does.
Let us talk about what is happening as relates to property taxes.
Because of our efforts here, or lack thereof, to stop the Bush
administration on this tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, we have a
bad situation as it relates to being able to stop property taxes from
going up when we talk about local commitment. What is happening as this
devolution of taxation, as we continue to move down and putting these
unfunded mandates on that the State legislatures are saying that we
are, local communities have to raise taxes, property taxes of home-
owning Americans.
Let me just share this with you. For me to stand here as a Member of
Congress, I have never raised taxes on the American people. When I was
in the State legislature I never raised taxes on Floridians. For us to
be able to say in the county, well, we do not want to raise taxes, but
I shared it with you earlier in my presentation that they come in the
form of fees, of increasing fees, need a new tag or hunting license or
fishing license, things of that nature, this is kind of invisible what
happens in local governments. You all of the sudden see the rate of
your property taxes go up because they have no choice.
This is the last area to pass the buck, city and county governments;
and it is very unfortunate, very unfortunate that we put those local
governments in that position. As we are up here in Washington speaking
here on this floor, there are local governments right now scratching
their heads, wondering how they are going to meet a budget, how are
they going to be able to provide the services to Americans. So while we
are putting $50, $200, $300 in a tax cut, they are taking $500, $600,
$1,000 out of everyday Americans' pockets as it relates to property
taxes because they do not have what we have.
I am going to tell you I am very disappointed as it relates to this.
It is really bad to be a Member of the Congress and say you are a
Member of the 108th Congress that oversaw the largest deficit in the
history, not in recent years, in the history of this democracy of the
Republic. I am so happy because I am glad that there is some sort of
difference here as it relates to the budget and how Members feel.
We have a Republican and a Democratic side; and I will tell you, my
colleagues on the Republican side, I feel for them because for them to
try to figure out how they are going to make an argument and not offend
the administration, I know that job is getting more difficult every
day; and it is so very, very important we let the American people know
how their local property taxes are being increased, how their local
police services are being decreased. Not because local government is
saying we want to cut community policing. We are saying it because we
want to stand up on behalf of the wealthiest Americans.
I will tell you this. I am very proud of the Democratic side of this
Congress that believes in middle-class tax cuts, but as it relates to
these wealthiest Floridians, wealthiest Americans, that are
celebrating, an administration that stands up on behalf of giving them
big tax cuts towards the detriment of local government and Americans
that are trying to work every day. So it is not adding up.
I continue to see article after article of failed attempts by this
administration to try to get this economy moving in the right
direction. That is creating jobs; that is not a jobless economy.
I will tell you, this one Member of Congress, along with several
other Members on the Democratic side, we are very concerned. Not only
concerned, we are willing to take action, if given the opportunity, to
put this country in the right direction.
Let us look at this, this ``Deficit in Trade,'' New York Times today.
It is not just me, a Kendrik Meek report. This is a report, a reputable
newspaper here in this country, ``Deficit in Trade Tops $43 Billion.''
Let me just say this. We give the administration too much credit. We
give them too much credit; and I will tell you, I think on the
Republican side, it is time to start asking the tough questions. It is
time to start taking some action or the American people will stand in
judgment of all of us, and those that are willing to stand on behalf of
the American people, everyday working Americans, not just the
wealthiest Americans that are celebrating this tax cut and the
President speaks so passionately about, you would assume he would talk
about, he would go and say, well, on behalf of No Child Left Behind, we
have to fully fund that. You would assume that this President would
knock down the door to try to fight on behalf of dollars to be able to
go to local governments and provide teachers with the things that they
need to educate our children.
Better yet, we speak passionately about making sure that we make the
tax cuts permanent, outsourcing jobs. Like I said, we cannot give the
administration the credit or this Congress as some Members of this
Congress as though they are the authority and they have a good track
record. There is no good track record. If there was one, I would not be
able to stand here on this House floor speaking to my colleagues,
speaking to the American people in the way that I am speaking right
now.
I can speak with great evidence and great backing of how States are
concerned about the direction that we are going in. How we are cutting
the Federal, I keep saying it, the Federal commitment to local
governments and cutting the Federal commitment to the American people.
I will tell you, as we define in the coming months, with this being
an election year, yes, people will do things that they ordinarily would
not do; but I will tell you one thing that has been consistent. The
fact that the President has said that these tax cuts to the
[[Page H1061]]
wealthiest Americans will help the economy has not happened. Three
million jobs lost, that is a long way to go to say that you created
something, and I will tell you this. It is very, very important, very,
very important in this budget time that this Congress, not just my
friends on the Democratic side, but my friends on the Republican side,
it is time for some Members of this Congress to go see the wizard and
get some courage on behalf of the American people who allowed us to be
a part of this Congress.
Remember, Members of the 108th Congress here in this U.S. House and
in the other body, history will reflect on the fact that we oversaw and
the Republican-controlled Congress, I must add, oversaw the largest
deficit in the history of this country that children will have to pay,
that living Americans will have to pay for a very, very, very long
time.
I cannot help but get off of this wealthiest Americans getting this
tax cut that the President wants to make permanent. It just does not
add up. With all the needs that we have, efforts against terrorism,
efforts to be able to make sure that we provide or we talk about the
terrorism, we talk about our troops, being able to have a good national
defense, but how about those individuals that have served? How about
those veterans? How about those individuals that wore the uniform? How
about those members of the American Legion? How about those individuals
that are out doing community service like the Shriners and others that
are veterans in this country and they are being stepped upon?
They are being stepped upon because they are being devalued as it
relates to the commitment that they should have from this White House.
Yes, there are some Members of Congress that have now said, okay, Mr.
President, I am sorry, I know you want to fight on behalf of the
wealthiest Americans; but we have these veterans and they are in my
district, and we are going to have to do something about it.
Republicans came together with some very courageous Democrats that
put forth a bill. A Member from Florida put forth a bill, but could not
get it up under a Republican-controlled Congress. Democrats came
together to be able to provide that opportunity so that hopefully we
can do some things about concurrent receipt, which is the tax on
veterans.
Remember I said earlier about how we pass it on in fees and different
things that may take place, like delays on being able to see an
ophthalmologist at a VA center, having backlogs at VA centers continue
to increase instead of decrease, if we are really honoring and standing
towards the commitment of Americans that have allowed us to be able to
celebrate the very freedom that we live under and breathe under today.
Police officers, I cannot help but have a level of compassion towards
police officers that are out there making $30-something-thousand a
year, carrying a weapon, protecting our communities, protecting our
highways. I used to be a State trooper. I was a State trooper in
Florida for 5 years. I know what it means not to have what you need to
have to be able to provide the protection that you raised your right
hand and said that you would do and put the other one on the Bible. I
will tell you that it is important that we do not leave them behind.
So when we look at these efforts of this White House to send a $2.4
trillion budget to this Congress, that is making tax cuts permanent on
behalf of the wealthiest Floridians, I mean wealthiest Americans and
Floridians I must add, the wealthiest, not folks that are just kind of,
you have a good job, you are making a family income of about $80,000 a
year. We are not talking about that group. We are not talking about the
individuals that are making a little bit over $100,000.
{time} 1700
We are not talking about those individuals. We are not talking about
those individuals that are making under $20,000 or $35,000 a year as a
joint household income. We are talking about individuals that are
making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and who are celebrating
a great representative in the White House right now, and that is the
President of the United States.
But do not take my word, just look at how it is presented. When the
President starts talking about tax cuts, of course he does not say we
need to make sure the wealthiest Americans receive the tax cuts. But it
is somewhere in the message. When you look at how it is playing out,
the majority of the money in his tax cuts go to the wealthiest
Americans. So it is not like he is fighting on behalf of everyday
working people and saying that we want to provide that tax cut for you.
I talked earlier about the legislatures and how they are feeling the
pinch and how they are passing that pinch on to local government. But
police officers need equipment, and not only for homeland security but
they need equipment to be able to provide safety in our local
communities.
Now, let us talk for a minute about health care. I mentioned that at
the top of my presentation here today before this Congress. There is no
health care plan, and there will not be any money for a health care
plan if we make tax cuts permanent on behalf of the wealthiest
Americans. Do not think it will fall out of the sky. It will not
happen. We cannot have cake and ice cream and meet a commitment that we
should make to the American people.
Yet we are able to provide a health care plan that we here in this
Congress celebrate. We have a health care plan that is just really
something else. But I do not think my constituents sent me up here
saying to me, well, we are so delighted and we love you so much that we
want to give you health care that we cannot even have or afford. I do
not think that was their message.
What I am saying to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is
that this is important. And to those who are either listening to me
right now in their offices or have even made it back home, since we
have finished business this week, think about it over the weekend,
about what you have to do on behalf of those individuals at the airport
when you get off that plane; think about that ticket agent that is
there; think about that individual that is sitting there in that
airport who is a development representative on behalf of a small shoe
company who needs health care and cannot afford it. Think about those
individuals when we start standing in judgment of this budget.
If we allow the wealthiest Americans to receive a tax cut over good
health care on behalf of every day working Americans, some that are
traveling by car, some that are traveling by plane, some that are
trying to make ends meet, it is really a travesty and a shame. We
cannot give this Bush administration the rubber stamp and continue to
allow them to move forth on failed economic policies that are going to
drive this country down, not up. Much more has happened to the American
worker than for the American worker, and we have to pay very close
attention to that. Let us not just watch the show, let us be a part of
the show and make it better on behalf of the American worker.
I would say now that the decisions that are coming out of this White
House on the economic front are a shame, and individuals should be
embarrassed. People should be fired. We should be able to bring in a
new team of strategists and advisers. But I do take comfort in the fact
that this is 2004, and in a few months Americans, will be able to make
the kind of decision they need to make.
I guarantee that when you do not have health care and you have to go
to an emergency room for that health care, or when you are a veteran
and you have to go to a Veterans Hospital to get some sort of
assistance and you are waiting 3 months to see the ophthalmologist or
the cardiologist, or whatever the case may be, that is not a partisan
issue. That is an issue of leadership. So whether you are a Democrat,
an Independent, or a Republican, whatever the case may be, there is a
lot of blame to go around.
We will not be blamed on the Democratic side. I guarantee you we will
not be jumping up and down on making these tax cuts permanent on behalf
of the wealthiest Americans. I am just so glad that God has allowed me
to have enough breath in my body to come here and put this on the
Record and to let Americans know that we should not allow the
wealthiest Americans these tax cuts. And I am not hating on them,
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I am hating on the leadership of this country as it relates to the
President of the United States that keeps selling to the American
people that this is a good thing. I just do not know how it is.
And I will say this right now. We need to stand up on behalf of those
individuals working every day and that have to stay healthy to be able
to provide health care and some sort of way of life on behalf of their
families, men and women, some two-parent households, some one-parent
households, and with their price of health care continuing to rise, and
the price of health care continuing to rise for small businesses, then
we are standing up with the President for the wealthiest Americans.
I am sorry if someone is disappointed because I am here speaking on
behalf of everyday Americans. The people that work in the Federal
Government do not have the kind of health care they need to have, and
we need to fight on their behalf. We need to say no to the President as
relates to providing tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. I am going
to keep saying it, and I think that Members of this Congress should
keep saying it.
I am trying to make the job easier on behalf of my friends on the
Republican side that want to say it but cannot say it. And the reason
why they cannot say it is that they will fall out of step with the
administration. I have seen it. It has been all over the papers, the
kind of pressure that this administration put on good Members of
Congress who are trying to make good decisions on behalf of their
constituents. It is well documented. This is not the Kendrick-Meek
Report, this is the report of the reality of what is going on in this
Capital city.
We should not stand by and allow this to happen, and I do mean those
of us who are carrying 108th Congress voting cards. We should not allow
this President to continue to make decisions and give him credit where
credit is not deserved, based on the report of this administration and
the fact they have not been able to create positive job creation since
the President has been President. Just short of 3 million jobs.
Some say we are on our way up. Well, three million is a long way to
go. Try to tell that to an individual whose unemployment has ran out
and they cannot find a job. Meanwhile, we have a President who thinks
and who is talking about, oh, it is good to send jobs overseas.
So while we are here fighting, and the majority, I must add, I am
hoping that we can get them to really think the way they want to think
and act the way they want to act and saying no to the President of the
United States; that we will not allow this to happen. Because the
Social Security Trust Fund will never be resolved and it will be going
down into deficits.
We believe in community policing, we believe in providing health care
for those that have worn the uniform and who are entitled to the
respect they should receive, many of whom have lost limbs and have
diseases that they cannot shake because they fought on behalf of this
country. They should not be waiting 3 to 6 months to try to see a
doctor or to try to get some sort of specialty treatment at a VA
Hospital.
The VA hospitals should not be closing, but they are closing, because
we are about to take away their money. It is already happening, only we
are going to make it permanent. So where is the money going to come
from? The President is going to walk around and say we have cut taxes,
we have made them permanent. Well, that sounds good. Taxes have been
cut. But the reality of it is that the majority of Americans are not
the ones that are receiving this, 54 percent of the dollars in that tax
cut. And it is little increments as relates to every day working
Americans, but huge tax cuts, in the hundreds and tens of thousands, to
the wealthiest Americans, who will receive and continue to receive as
far as the eye can see.
But we are here talking about where are we going to be able to
provide affordable health care, talking about why we cannot stop
property taxes going up. If there is a local school or bond question on
the ballot in your State's primary, or a question on the ballot as
relates to a local election, it is not because the school board failed
you, it is not because the county government failed you, it is not
because of the school boards that are operated by the city, it is not
because the city has failed you, it is not because the State has failed
you. It is because the President of the United States thought it was
important to make sure that we provide a tax cut, and to make it
permanent, I must add, on behalf of the wealthiest Americans.
As I close, I just want to say that, and this is important, that
these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans have nothing to do with the
effort against terrorism. It has nothing to do with it. Nothing
patriotic about giving tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. I did not
see a millionaire or a billionaire coming to my office saying,
Congressman, I sure need you to fight on my behalf. I want you to make
these tax cuts permanent.
You know the reason why they are not coming to my office saying that?
Because they cannot look at me straight in the eye, nor can they look
at the American people straight in the eye and say that. But this
President, and you need to check it for yourself, this President goes
flying around, burning all kinds of Federal jet fuel, talking about it
is important that we make it permanent. He leans on the podium carrying
on and looking and winking and all that kind of stuff, and that is good
for the television, but in reality, he is telling us to forget about a
health care plan because there is not one. We can forget about a good
Medicare prescription drug plan, because there will not be one. There
is not enough money to be able to do it.
And I do not even want to start about what this Congress was told and
about what happened afterwards. Millions of dollars underforecast as
relates to the plan that was passed. I do not even want to get into
that. That is another entire special order. But as far as community
policing, we can begin to look to our local communities not preventing
crime but reporting crime. We had those days. We want to get away from
those days, but I think those day will come back.
Veterans. Veterans. Oh, my goodness, I am so glad this is an election
year and that they are getting some level or maybe a small response
that is just starting from this Bush administration because of the
pressure and the reality of what they have to live under, not being
able to receive the kind of health care that they need and waiting in
lines.
Mr. Speaker, I close by saying this: I go back to the Washington Post
today. State government leaders. The Utah Speaker of the House, Mr.
Stevens, said that ``we have seen an increase in that practice in
recent years and we are concerned this is going to get worse.'' That is
what the evidence shows. That is what will continue to happen if this
House allows this President to make these tax cuts permanent on behalf
of the wealthiest Americans.
State governments, brace yourself. Local communities, brace yourself.
Property owners, brace yourself. Hunters and sportsmen alike, and
sportswomen, brace yourself. Brace yourself because you will be paying
the price because we want to fight on behalf of the few. We want to
make sure individuals that live in gated communities and who burn a
full tank of gas getting to their front door get their tax cut.
On behalf of the Democratic side, and on behalf of some Republicans
that are thinking in their mind that they want to be able to say
something, not only say something but want to vote against some of this
stuff that the President is putting down, I am asking this Congress
does not continue to follow this President down a track of continuing
not only to outsource jobs, but continuing to put this country in
economic jeopardy.
I have a problem with us knocking on the bank of China saying we need
money to pay down money on the largest deficit under our watch.
Something is fundamentally wrong with that. And you can talk about
Democrat-Republican, but the reality is there was a surplus until
President Bush took the White House, then all of a sudden we have
record deficits. We have red lines that are running deep you can lose
consciousness.
I think it is important, my colleagues, as we take this recess over
the weekend that we come clean with the American people about what is
to come. I hope and pray on behalf of veterans that we do better by
them.
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I pray on behalf of children, who are trying to rise up to the
standards that have been set by this administration without the
resources in this budget that will be able to respond to the needs of
every day teachers and administrators that are working to be able to
make sure that they can provide an environment and also be able to put
forth an education system that is going to help our children learn,
outside of just having test centers and having rhetoric out there,
these one-liners talking about how we have raised standards.
I hope and I pray that Members of Congress stand on behalf, and
especially on the majority party, because on the Democratic side I know
where we stand, but I am hoping and praying that someone, some Member
stands up and gets other Members on the Republican side to say no to
the President of the United States; I do not care if it is an election
year or not, Mr. President, you will not make tax cuts permanent on
behalf of the wealthiest Americans. And not just because we do not want
you to, but because the Republic depends on the very resources you are
willing to give away to individuals who do not even need it, and which
will provide for health care, for Social Security, for a prescription
drug plan that actually is a plan on behalf of the American people and
that will drive costs down, and which will also make sure that we have
police officers in our communities that are going to prevent crime and
not report it.
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