[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 42 (Tuesday, April 12, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E621-E622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the concurrent resolution 
     (H. Con. Res. 95) establishing the congressional budget for 
     the United States Government for fiscal year 2006, revising 
     appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2005, and 
     setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 
     2007 through 2010:

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H. 
Con. Res. 95, the Republican Budget Resolution, and in support of the 
Democratic Substitute offered by Mr. Spratt.

[[Page E622]]

  The Republican budget does not reflect the priorities of our Nation 
or my Minnesota constituents and will almost certainly have a negative 
impact on America's families. This legislation reduces support for law 
enforcement, fire fighters and local units of government. It fails to 
meet our commitment to our veterans--at a time when we are asking more 
and more of our military and their families. Even the Republicans' most 
creative use of accounting gimmicks and phony projections still yields 
a record federal budget deficit, makes no allowance for the President's 
plan for Social Security, and fails to include the Iraq war in the 
budget--which is currently costing taxpayers $5 billion a month.
  This budget eliminates opportunities for our children to be 
successful, including vocational education programs, safe and drug free 
schools, and Even Start. Republicans continue to underfund No Child 
Left Behind and college loan programs that provide access to higher 
education for millions of Americans. The budget proposes to make deep 
cuts in Medicaid--a proposal that will hurt low-income families, the 
elderly and disabled, health care workers and our hospitals. These 
health care cuts will also create severe budget difficulties for our 
states and have been strongly opposed by a bipartisan group of 
governors. The Republican budget slashes funding for clean water 
programs, farm conservation measures and funding for brownfields 
development.
  In fact, the proposal put forward by the Majority inflicts so much 
burden on average families that it has been called `unjust' by a broad 
religious coalition and was opposed by the major veterans 
organizations. If the federal budget is a document that reflects the 
values of President Bush and the Republicans in Congress then this 
budget is not only `unjust' but void of mainstream American values.
  I want fiscally responsibility, not larger deficits. My constituents 
demand a common sense budget that returns our nation to sound fiscal 
decision making and balances the budget within seven years using common 
sense, pay-as-you-go budgeting like every family does. We need to put 
family priorities first by maintaining strong national security, 
strengthening education, protecting veterans' health care and ensuring 
families are economically secure. For these reasons I strongly support 
the Democratic budget, a common sense alternative to the dangerous and 
irresponsible Republican plan.
  This Congress must make a real effort, as proposed by the Democrats, 
to reduce the deficit rather than allow it to grow and remain a burden 
for the next generation. We need to be honest about the cost of the war 
in Iraq, rather than continue to pass so-called ``emergency'' 
supplemental appropriations as we did earlier this week. And we need to 
put families first. The President and House Republicans choose tax 
breaks for corporations over students and veterans' as their top 
priority.
  The Democratic substitute restores fiscal discipline and reduces the 
deficit while protecting the services our families depend upon, keeping 
our communities and economy strong. I am proud to support the 
Democratic substitute and I will continue to fight to ensure our 
families priorities are the priorities of Congress.

                          ____________________