[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 31 (Tuesday, March 5, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   OPPOSITION TO BUDGET SEQUESTRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 5, 2013

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, today we find ourselves in the midst of yet 
another manufactured crisis that threatens our economic recovery. Last 
Friday marked the beginning of $85 billion in arbitrary, across-the-
board cuts to key domestic priorities and defense programs.
   How did we get here? The Budget Control Act of 2011 created an 
automatic sequestration plan that was designed to be so senseless and 
so painful that Democrats and Republicans would be left with no choice 
but to come together to craft an alternative. Yet, the sequestration 
that was never supposed to happen has begun.
   The impact of these cuts will be real. The Congressional Budget 
Office estimates that sequestration will reduce GDP by .6% and cost 
about 750,000 jobs by the fourth quarter of this year. These alarming 
figures don't even take into account the impact cuts will have on 
federal protections and services for American families.
   They include:
   Reductions in FDA funding that will result in fewer scheduled food 
safety inspections and delays in new drug approvals.
   Reductions in substance abuse and mental health programs that will 
result in nearly 400,000 adults and children with serious mental 
illnesses going without treatment.
   Reductions in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
and National Science Foundation (NSF), resulting in delayed or halted 
scientific and medical research. Reductions in funding for the Aids 
Drug Assistance Program, resulting in thousands fewer patients having 
access to HIV medications, and reductions in funding for Centers for 
Disease Control (CDC), resulting in over 400,000 fewer AIDS tests being 
conducted this year.
   Reductions in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), resulting 
in cuts in public health and environmental protections, including 
reductions in safe drinking water and wastewater treatment projects, 
water quality permitting, air quality monitoring, and hazardous waste 
cleanups.
   Nearly 4 million individuals receiving federally funded unemployment 
benefits will face an 11% cut in their weekly payments. The WIC 
nutrition program for low-income pregnant women, infants, and young 
children could be forced to turn away over 700,000 women and children 
by the end of the year and 100,000 families could lose their housing 
vouchers.
   California will be particularly hard hit by the deep cuts to defense 
spending. Billions of dollars and an estimated 225,464 jobs related to 
aerospace and defense are at risk.
   We have an obligation to put partisanship aside and make budget 
decisions that reflect the priorities of the American people. President 
Obama has offered to work with Congress on a comprehensive plan to 
reduce the debt, create a fairer tax system, and rebuild the middle 
class, all of which are necessary to strengthen the economy and 
maintain our ability to compete. Democrats have introduced legislation 
that takes such a balanced approach, and I urge the Republican 
leadership to allow it to come to the floor for a vote.

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