[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H2720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           LET US PASS A BUDGET THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF AMERICA

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, we had quite a trying week.
  Many of us see things from a different perspective. I am hoping that 
we will be able to correct some of the flaws that we found in the 
debate this week. And particularly I thought it was important to 
reflect on what kind of budget was just passed in a very close vote, 
211 to 214, clearly a divided Congress on whether or not this budget 
helps any of the Americans that we try to uplift.
  This is a budget that cuts Medicaid by $10 billion. This is a budget 
that protects over $70 billion in tax cuts. This is a budget that will 
see many veterans hospitals and their services cut. One of the more 
moving experiences I had was to hear a veteran ask the question, ``Do 
you not care?''

                              {time}  2100

  Are we not concerned about the veterans coming back, many of them 
traumatized, many of them amputees, many of them who have experienced 
other soldiers or veterans in Afghanistan or Iraq that committed 
suicide?
  We have a chance to do this over again. This conference report, 
frankly, does not answer the concerns of the American people. I am glad 
to have voted no. I hope we find it in our hearts to really stand up 
for the American people who count and pass a budget in the future that 
works for all of America.

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