[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 161 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S13647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        WEAK-KNEED BUDGET TRICKS

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, before we adjourn, the Congress will be 
asked to vote on an across-the-board cut for every agency and program 
in the Federal Government. The Congressional majorities have put this 
Nation on an irresponsible fiscal path, one that promises years of 
record-breaking red ink, inflationary pressures, and multiplying 
Federal debts. Instead of making tough choices on spending priorities, 
or perhaps limiting the massive tax breaks going to Nation's richest 
citizens, or finding ways to lessen the burden of the war in Iraq on 
the American citizens, the Republican Congressional leadership is 
expected to take the expedient route of an across-the-board funding 
cut.
  This may not seem like a big deal. What's 1 or 2 percent? But to the 
families across this country, that 1 or 2 percent can mean a world of 
difference, especially when it is coupled with the freeze in services 
that has already been applied to Federal initiatives.
  Take, for an example, community health centers which provide basic 
health care for some of our most isolated citizens. This arbitrary 
Republican plan would mean that 55 clinics would be shuttered, and 
73,000 Americans would see their health care held hostage by budget 
games. A 2 percent cut in the Food and Drug Administration budget would 
force unacceptable delays in the amount of time that it takes to 
approve new lifesaving drug and medical devices.
  At a time when the Congress is considering tax cuts for the wealthy, 
after a 2 percent cut, food packages for 65,922 elderly participants 
would vanish. A 2 percent cut in the WIC program would reduce the 
number of meals for 175,234 economically struggling women, infants, and 
children. More than 35,000 families would lose access to safe and 
affordable housing. Under this Congressional leadership, the rich get 
richer, while tens of thousands of poor and the elderly have to 
struggle for food and shelter.
  The House has passed four tax cut bills, totaling $95 billion, and 
the Senate has passed tax cuts which add up to $58 billion. The vast 
majority of these tax cuts are aimed at improving the economic 
portfolios of the wealthiest Americans at the expense of those 
Americans who are barely scraping by. At the same time that this 
Congress is pushing forward with unwise tax cuts, these across-the-
board cuts would weaken further the Nation's crumbling infrastructure 
and rob the economy of new jobs. In fact, a $720 million cut in highway 
construction, as put forward under the Republican blueprint, would 
slash more than 34,200 construction jobs from our economy. How many 
headlines about companies cutting payrolls by the tens of thousands 
will it take before this Congress stands up and puts the American 
people first? American families deserve to know that the safety net is 
not filled with holes. But instead of offering assurances, this 
Republican plan only serves to jeopardize the future of many Americans.
  Children in school districts with a high median income would also 
suffer. These school districts, which receive title I funding, would 
have to scramble to fill a $257 million reduction. That kind of cut 
would hamstring the education of more than 200,000 students around the 
country. At the same time, special education funding would drop by $214 
million, and the number of children in Head Start would be cut by 
19,000. Cutting the funds for classroom education may achieve short-
term fiscal goals for the Republican majority, but it creates long-term 
problems for the Nation's future.
  Don't care about the classrooms? Think that school districts can 
absorb this cut with higher property taxes? Then what about our 
veterans? Each day, new veterans come home from the wars in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. They join our proud men and women who have served in World 
War One and World War Two, in Korea, in Vietnam, in the first Gulf War, 
and in so many places around the world. These men and women have made 
us proud. Many of these 21st century veterans have specialized health 
care needs. The battlefields of today are inflicting wounds unlike 
those experienced by the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines of past 
wars. Veterans' health care is a responsibility that we must never 
shirk.
  But what do these veterans get in return for their service? More 
budget cuts from this Congressional majority. The GOP plan means cuts 
in treatment for approximately 236,000 patients. It means that 1.4 
million outpatient visits would disappear. Waiting lists would likely 
rise by about 176,000 veterans. In addition, the VA will not be able to 
expand specialty and mental health services at existing sites as 
planned.
  But the short-sighted effects of this Republican cut to America's 
working families, classrooms, and veterans are only one aspect of 
backwards priorities of this Republican funding plan. Just this week, 
the President reiterated his effort to protect the American people from 
future terrorist attacks. But how much safer will the American people 
be if the Republican blueprint for budget cuts is signed into law? How 
much safer will the Nation be with 800 fewer FBI agents?
  Similar cuts would face the Drug Enforcement Agency. Under this 
Republican scheme, the DEA would be forced to cut its planned force by 
200 agents. The President and his team have stated that drug profits 
contribute to terrorism. Does anyone think that it is a good idea to 
cut more than 200 agents from the DEA?
  Border Security would be cut by $96.5 million. As a result, 200 of 
the promised new border agents would go unhired. Detention and removal 
efforts for illegal aliens would be sliced by $20 million. All of us 
know that the U.S.-Mexico border already is terribly porous. But, 
instead of investing in new agents and tightening security on our 
borders, this Republican effort would undermine our effort to secure 
our borders.
  What about our airport security? That is not immune from these 
Republican budget games. The Transportation Security Administration, 
which is responsible for the screening of passengers at our airports, 
would also be targeted for stiff reductions. As a result of this 
misguided GOP blueprint, more than 1,000 TSA screeners would lose their 
jobs. This is on top of the 2,000 person reduction in screeners already 
approved by this Congress. At the same time, funding for explosive 
detection equipment for baggage and passengers would be decreased by 
$12 million. And safety in the skies would be placed at risk.
  We all watched the Coast Guard perform marvelously after Hurricane 
Katrina devastated Mississippi and Louisiana. But rather than 
reinforcing the Coast Guard's ability in future disasters, the 2 
percent rollback would reduce cutter patrol hours by at least 10,000 
hours and aircraft hours by at least 2,000 hours. And military 
recruiting would be reduced by 60 percent--or 1,158 Coast Guard 
personnel.
  I urge my colleagues to think again about this fiscal foolishness. 
Think about what it means for our children and for the safety of our 
families. Think about what it means for our veterans and for our 
security.
  The American people elect Members of Congress to lead, to make tough 
choices, and to place the best interests of the Nation at the forefront 
of our work. This across-the-board cut is not leadership, and it is not 
in the best interests of the Nation.

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