[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 157 (Thursday, December 8, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3010, 
  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006

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                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 17, 2005

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to 
H.R. 3010, the FY 2006 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill. I voted 
against this bill when it passed the House and the conference report 
before us today is even more objectionable.
  The Republican leadership has proposed severe cuts to services that 
keep our families and communities strong. At a time when consumers are 
expecting to pay nearly 30 percent more for home heating, the majority 
has refused to include an increase for the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program, which helps to keep our seniors and children safe 
during the winter.
  This bill also shortchanges important health care programs. Although 
slightly better than the House-passed bill, this proposal cuts health 
professions programs by 69 percent at a time when we are struggling to 
provide health care access in many areas of this country. It also cuts 
funding for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant and forces a 24 
percent cut to block grants for State health departments. Most 
striking, while we ask our local public health departments to do more 
to prepare for a possible pandemic, this bill instead imposes an 11 
percent cut on local health departments.
  The conference report also cuts overall funding for the Department of 
Education for the first time in over 10 years. It cuts and guts 
programs from early childhood education through college. Our Nation's 
public schools will see budget cuts totaling more than $784 million, 
despite the promise to fully fund No Child Left Behind at the time of 
its enactment in 2002. Since then, NCLB has been underfunded by more 
than $39 billion. Our public schools and our students deserve better. 
This bill underfunds critical programs for the most vulnerable 
students, providing $217 million less for Title I Education for 
Disadvantaged Children program than in fiscal year 2005. In addition, 
Safe and Drug Free Schools will receive a cut of $87 million--a 
decrease of 20 percent. Several other education programs and services 
will see their budgets frozen, despite increased program costs, greater 
needs, and inflation.
  Pell grants for low-income college students are frozen for the fourth 
straight year in a row, despite promises by the administration to 
increase the maximum Pell grant award. While Congress underfunds 
student financial aid, students and families continue to struggle to 
pay for a college education that is increasing faster than the rate of 
inflation.
  Investments in health and education are important to our families, 
our communities, and our country. This conference report does not 
reflect the values of Minnesotans or Americans. I will vote to reject 
this conference report and urge my colleagues to do the same.




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