[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2196-E2197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DIRECTING CLERK OF THE HOUSE TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS IN 
                        ENROLLMENT OF H.R. 4818

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 6, 2004

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday's vote on H. Con. Res. 528 is 
about much more than just eliminating a provision that Republicans 
sneaked into the Omnibus Appropriations bill. While that provision 
would have eroded existing privacy protections of American taxpayers, 
today's vote also highlights the growing abuse of legislative power and 
abuse of the public trust by the Republican leadership. It is also 
about priorities and meeting our nation's needs.
  I opposed the massive spending bill when it was considered on the 
House floor on November 20, 2004, because I was certain that, without 
carefully examining it, I might be voting for inappropriate, 
irresponsible, or even embarrassing provisions. Sure enough, that is 
the case. The provision the Republicans inserted into the spending bill 
which would allow Members and staff on Congressional committees to

[[Page E2197]]

``sneak and peak'' at taxpayers' confidential tax filings, and, which 
H. Con. Res. 528 corrects, is just one example of the controversial 
changes and omissions included in the 3,000-page Omnibus package.
  The Omnibus Appropriations bill includes another serious threat to 
taxpayers' privacy, one that we are not fixing today. Behind closed 
doors, the Republicans stripped from the massive bill a House-passed 
amendment which would have prohibited the Internal Revenue Service from 
using private bounty-hunters to collect back taxes. That provision, 
which enjoyed strong-bipartisan support, would have prevented 2.6 
million tax returns a year from being turned over to private debt 
collectors with personal financial stakes--receiving 25 cents on every 
dollar in making people ``pay up.'' This policy all but openly condones 
strong-arm collection tactics. Additionally, while IRS employees must 
respect taxpayer privacy or be liable, the bounty hunters will have no 
such restrictions. They are free to do as they please, and we have no 
reason to believe that they will not abuse the power the Republicans 
want to give them in order to increase their profits at the expense of 
taxpayer privacy.
  Furthermore, 6 million employees are in danger of seeing the 40-hour 
work week eroded because of another glaring omission from the Omnibus 
Appropriations bill. In a blow to America's workers, the Omnibus fails 
to include the Obey-Miller amendment to the Labor-HHS Appropriations 
bill that passed the House. That bipartisan provision, which also 
passed the Senate, would have ensured that the Administration's new 
overtime rules do not harm Americans who depend on overtime to make 
ends meet, instead keeping in place a vital protection and keeping them 
from having to work longer hours for less pay.

  There are also provisions included in--or excluded from--the bill 
that would undermine a woman's right to choose, undercut environmental 
protections, and put workers' retirement security in jeopardy if their 
employers chose to convert from defined benefit to cash-balance plans. 
But, unfortunately, it is not only the policy riders and omissions that 
are harmful to millions within our country. The funding levels of too 
many vital programs are shameful and jeopardize our citizens and our 
future.
  For instance, the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) 
Program, which has helped put thousands of police officers on our 
streets, is cut by roughly 20-percent. The Small Business 
Administration's budget is reduced by 18-percent. There is no funding 
for the 7(a) loan program, which is the SBA's flagship program for 
helping small businesses get access to capital. Although we are 
bringing home new veterans every day, the funding level for veterans' 
health care is at least $1.3 billion less than what the bipartisan 
Veterans' Affairs Committee says is needed just to maintain the current 
level of services. The President's own No Child Left Behind Act is 
underfunded by $9.6 billion. Many key housing programs are slashed. 
Housing for the elderly was cut by $27 million, and housing for people 
with disabilities was cut by $9 million. Assistance for the homeless 
also saw a $9 million cut. Community Development Block Grants are 
funded at $212 million less than current levels. Contrary to Congress's 
call in 2002 to double the National Science Foundation's budget over 
the next five years, the omnibus cuts NSF's funding by $61 million 
below Fiscal Year 2004's level. While those cuts may seem small, they 
could truly decimate those programs, many which were already severely 
underfunded. At the same time that millionaires are not being asked to 
give up one penny of their tax cuts, investments that will make our 
country stronger are being cut.
  Despite its containing controversial changes to the law and gross 
underfunding of essential government services, facts only known to a 
handful of powerful Republicans, my colleagues and I were given only a 
few hours to read the bill which funds 13 government departments, 
dozens of domestic agencies, and is one of the largest government 
funding bills to come before Congress. Not even the most accomplished 
speed-reader could have gotten through the bill in time, which is 
exactly what its authors were counting on when they rammed the bill 
through in one day. Such treatment of a bill of such importance is a 
discredit to the institution of Congress and a serious disservice to 
our country. One resolution fixing one issue cannot make up for the 
abuse of power and the abuse of the American taxpayer, employee, 
student, senior, and family that H.R. 4818 embodies.

                          ____________________