[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,

[[Page H1062]]

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.

[[Page H1063]]

  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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