[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 53 (Friday, March 30, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013

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                               speech of

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H. Con. Res. 112) 
     establishing the budget for the United States Government for 
     fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary 
     levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022:

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the 
Republican Budget proposal.
  More tax breaks for the wealthy and ending the Medicare guarantee for 
our nation's seniors are the wrong policies for America, particularly 
as millions are still suffering the effects of our worst financial 
crisis since the Great Depression and as we are struggling to restore 
economic growth.
  As Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I also want to highlight the effect this budget would have on 
our Federal workers--the backbone of our government.
  They support our troops in the battlefield and provide care to our 
veterans. They protect our borders, safeguard our food supply, and 
ensure that our seniors get their Social Security checks.
  In return, the majority has rewarded these middle-class Americans 
with an unprecedented assault on their compensation and benefits, 
including proposals to extend their current two-year pay freeze, to 
arbitrarily eliminate positions, and to slash their retirement 
benefits.
  Federal workers have already done more than their share to help 
address our nation's fiscal woes.
  They have contributed $60 billion to deficit reduction as a result of 
the existing two-year pay freeze, and they are contributing an 
additional $15 billion in higher pension contributions to help fund the 
unemployment insurance extension.
  But House Republicans aren't finished.
  The Republican budget directs the Oversight Committee to take an 
additional $80 billion out of the pockets of these middle-class workers 
in the form of additional cuts to their pay and pensions.
  That would more than double what they have already given to date.
  These continued efforts to end Medicare, to cut our social safety 
net, and to slash the pay and benefits of middle-class federal workers 
are simply shameful, especially when this budget would use these 
savings to give unprecedented tax breaks to the millionnaires and 
billionnaires.
  I oppose the Ryan budget and will oppose all bills that would take 
money out of the pockets of middle-class Americans before asking the 
wealthiest among us to contribute their fair share.

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