[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 30, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    H.R. 5326, THE COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 30, 2012

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5326, the 
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. The legislation contains damaging cuts to the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and to the Legal 
Services Corporation. It also contains provisions that would further 
weaken the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the protections 
that the agency provides to unionized workers.
  H.R. 5326 contains a nearly $227 million cut to NASA's top-line, 
putting it at $1.15 billion below its FY2010 funding level. Thousands 
of private-sector jobs at NASA centers across the country have already 
been lost as a result of austere budget reductions. The cuts included 
in this legislation will result in the loss of hundreds more. NASA must 
be given adequate funding to ensure that the agency can accomplish its 
assigned missions, to maintain and grow investments in America's global 
competitiveness in aerospace technologies, and to preserve the United 
States' world leadership in space exploration.
  This legislation contains a $20 million cut from FY2012 levels to the 
Legal Services Corporation (LSC). The LSC provides vital legal support 
to the most vulnerable populations, including veterans, victims of 
domestic violence, and those who would not otherwise be able to afford 
legal representation. The cuts included in H.R. 5326 would force the 
LSC to lay off over 100 staff attorneys at a time when an increasing 
number of Americans are experiencing poverty.
  This bill includes an amendment that would prevent the National Labor 
Relations Board from protecting American workers seeking exercise their 
right to form collective bargaining units by prohibiting funds from 
being used by the NLRB to litigate conflicts that arise out of secret 
ballot union elections. When workers attempt to form a union, they must 
often rely on the support and expertise of the NLRB. This amendment 
would take that assistance away. This provision further weakens the 
nation's only agency dedicated solely to protecting workers' rights in 
this country.
  Another amendment to this bill effectively prohibits the Department 
of Justice from enforcing the most fundamental of civil rights: the 
right to vote. According to a recent report from the Brennan Center for 
Justice, in the past year alone, fourteen states have enacted voter 
identification laws or imposed executive orders about voting or voter 
registration which have resulted in numerous documented instances of 
American citizens being denied the right to vote. The Department of 
Justice's inability to exercise critical oversight of such laws and 
executive orders will continue to result in the disenfranchisement of 
racial and ethnic minorities, low-income voters, seniors, and students.
  H.R. 5326 puts American jobs, basic rights, and our global leadership 
in the aerospace sector at risk. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
opposing this bill.

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