[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H10117]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CUTS AND BLOOD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, since Hurricane Katrina and Rita 
and the budget reconciliation talks began, practically all that we have 
heard in this House about budgets has been cut, cut, cut, and cut. And 
of course, Mr. Speaker, where I come from back in Chicago, if all that 
you do is cut, cut and cut, all that you get is blood, blood, and more 
blood. And, of course, the blood will be on the hands of those who have 
the knife.
  Much of the debate in this House during the past 2 months has been 
around the majority's proposal to cut mandatory programs by $35 to $50 
billion over the next 5 years. Just the idea of some of these Draconian 
measures is enough to send chills up and down one's spine because we 
are talking about programs that provide basic assistance to vulnerable, 
low-income families and individuals.
  In essence and in reality, we are talking about Robin Hood in 
reverse; that is, take from the poor and give to the rich. We are 
talking about programs that provide help to people with disabilities, 
people who make use of the earned income tax credit, people who use 
Supplemental Security Income programs, Temporary Assistance to Needy 
Families and individuals who are indeed elderly.

                              {time}  1945

  Some of the proposed cuts include $11.9 billion to Medicaid, and I 
can just imagine what this will do to the more than 20 hospitals, 
health centers, private physician practices in my district. Imagine the 
large number of children and poor people who will not be able to access 
adequate health care.
  Student loans, $14.3 billion. Look at the number of students who will 
not be able to go to college, to get the education that we all know 
that they must have if they are to compete and survive in a highly 
technical, service-oriented economy. We think of all of those who would 
not be able to go to law school, medical school, who would not be in a 
position to provide the services that our country will need.
  Child support, $4.9 billion. Imagine what will happen to the large 
number of children in my district being raised by single mothers and 
how difficult it will be for them to receive child support payments.
  Foster care, $577 million. My district has one of the highest 
percentages of children in foster care in the Nation. Any reduction in 
these funds will seriously imperil our ability to provide and care for 
these children.
  Food stamps, unimaginable. I mean, how can you think of cutting food 
stamps, with all of the individuals who are homeless, hungry, in many 
instances hopeless and helpless, individuals who are unemployed, laid 
off from their jobs and having difficulties with acquiring the basic 
necessities to sustain life.
  Mr. Speaker, I am strongly in favor of our government operating on 
sound fiscal policies. I am in favor of reducing the deficit to the 
extent prudent and possible. I am in favor of rebuilding the areas 
damaged by Katrina and Rita, but I am not in favor of continuing to 
throw money away on a war that we never should have been in in the 
first place. I am not in favor of giving huge tax breaks and cuts to 
the wealthiest 1 percent of the population. I am in favor of budget 
reconciliation, but not on the backs of the poor, needy, and most 
vulnerable sectors of our society.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I could do nothing less than oppose. As a 
matter of fact, it would be a dereliction of my duty and responsibility 
if I were to vote for the Budget Reconciliation Act that is before us. 
I will vote prudently and sensibly.

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