[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 44 (Friday, March 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009

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                               speech of

                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the concurrent resolution 
     (H. Con. Res. 312) revising the congressional budget for the 
     United States Government for fiscal year 2008, establishing 
     the congressional budget for the United States Government for 
     fiscal year 2009, and setting forth appropriate budgetary 
     levels for fiscal years 2010 through 2013:

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the 
Progressive Caucus Budget Substitute.
  This week, many of my constituents are visiting Washington, DC. They 
are here asking for more funding for important Federal programs.
  I keep explaining to them, that I will do my best; we all will do our 
best. We will fight for them; we will fight with them.
  But the problem is the war in Iraq. Every penny we spend on this war 
is another penny that will cost our children, our grandchildren, our 
great grandchildren. Every cent we spend on this war in an emergency 
supplemental is off-budget. But every dollar we invest in health care, 
unemployment insurance, housing, in child welfare is subject to 
devastating cuts. This administration believes that we have an endless 
pot of money for war, but no money for hard-working Americans.
  Across the country people are struggling. They are struggling to keep 
up with their bills. Struggling to pay their mortgages, pay for 
college, pay for food, pay for gas. They come here and ask us to invest 
in their needs. They ask us to provide funding not for the war but for 
their communities.
  Mr. Chairman, this budget amendment does just that. We provide nearly 
$132 billion more than the President to assist struggling Americans. 
This proposal responds to our constituents. It says we found a way to 
fund what is important to you.
  I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

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