[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H2250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET AND HOMELAND SECURITY

  (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, the President's fiscal year 2008 budget 
perpetuates more of the same wrong priorities that have failed the 
American people over the past 6 years.
  One of the most egregious offenses of his proposed budget this year 
is that, while he calls for nearly $2 trillion in tax cuts for the 
wealthy over the next 10 years, he once again refuses to fully fund our 
homeland security programs. In fact, his budget provides only a 1 
percent increase, despite numerous unmet homeland security needs.
  The President drastically cuts grants to first responders, State 
homeland security and firefighter assistance, and eliminates programs 
like local law enforcement terrorism prevention, staffing for adequate 
fire and emergency response, and metropolitan medical response. He even 
freezes funding to secure critical infrastructure needs like our ports, 
railways, and transit systems.
  Mr. Speaker, giving tax breaks to the wealthy at the expense of 
protecting the homeland is not the priority of most Americans. 
Democrats will fight for a budget that makes keeping our Nation safe a 
top priority.

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