[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 53 (Friday, March 30, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E516-E517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    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:

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Chair, next week is Passover, when the youngest 
child at the Seder table asks four questions, the answers to which 
explain the meaning of the holiday.
  In keeping with the tradition of asking questions to understand the 
importance of key events, I'd like to suggest four questions to ask 
Republicans so that they can explain the reasoning behind their budget 
resolution.
  Why does your budget resolution protect and indeed increase the 
wealth of the already-wealthy at the expense of everyone else? The 
Bible says, ``He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he 
who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty.'' (Proverbs 22:16). 
Income disparity is at near-historic levels in our Nation. Why then, 
does the Republican budget provide an average additional tax break of 
$150,000 for millionaires and refuse to eliminate subsidies to highly 
profitable Big Oil companies, while asking seniors, children, the poor 
and middle-class families to sacrifice more and more?
  Why does your budget resolution take away the Medicare guarantee? The 
Bible tells us, ``You shall give due honor and respect to the 
elderly.'' (Leviticus 19:32). The average senior lives on $19,000, one 
in three retirees depends on Social Security for 90 percent or more of 
their income, and 1 in 3 seniors will need help paying for long-term 
care. Why, then, does the Republican budget double already high out-of-
pocket spending for seniors, threaten Social Security, and cut Medicaid 
by $810 billion over the next decade?
  Why does your budget resolution increase defense spending while 
cutting investments in our children and families? The Bible tells us, 
``A just balance and scales are the Lord's.'' (Proverbs 16:11). The 
U.S. defense budget is higher than the next 17 nations in the world 
combined and has increased in real terms for each of the past 13 years. 
Why, then, does the Republican budget renege on a balanced approach to 
deficit reduction--increasing defense spending and asking education, 
job training and creation, medical research and other domestic programs 
to bear the entire burden?
  Why does your budget resolution take away food from the poor? The 
Bible tells us, ``If anyone has material possessions and sees his 
brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in 
him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with 
actions and in truth.'' (1 John 3:17 18). Nearly 50 million Americans 
lack adequate food and 22 percent of America's children live in 
poverty. Why, then, does the Republican budget cut and cap the food 
assistance needed so that children, families and seniors can't get 
enough to eat?

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