[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 37 (Thursday, March 14, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H1403-H1404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1210
                         THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET

  (Mr. LOWENTHAL asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page H1404]]

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Ryan's current budget 
proposal is a harsh austerity program that seeks to reduce the deficit 
on the backs of our Nation's most vulnerable while only benefiting the 
special interests and the Nation's ultrawealthy.
  Under this plan, more than 30 million Americans now covered by the 
Affordable Care Act, including more than 70,000 residents of my 
district, would be at risk of losing their coverage.
  Medicare as we know would cease to exist for more than 5 million 
future seniors, and over 3.5 million seniors today would lose Medicare 
preventative care coverage.
  This plan also jeopardizes our Nation's economic recovery. The 
Economic Policy Institute estimates the plan will cost more than 2 
million jobs in the next year, reduce the GDP by 1.7 percent, and 
literally stall the economy through 2017. This is neither the balanced 
nor rational approach that we need.
  I want to work with my colleagues here in the Congress to pass a 
budget that creates jobs, grows the economy, strengthens the middle 
class, and responsibly reduces the deficit.
  Sadly, this is not that plan.

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