[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 126 (Monday, September 23, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1361-E1362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 20, 2013

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.J. 
Res. 59, which makes continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2014, 
because it continues the devastating cuts to education set in motion by 
the sequester and permanently defunds the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
  H.J. Res. 59 locks in the damaging sequester cuts through December 15 
and even sets funding slightly below the current, post-sequestration 
level.
  It is long past time for Congress to reverse course from the 
austerity approach that included slashing education across-the-board by 
5 percent this year--the equivalent of cutting nearly all education 
programs and Head Start by roughly $3 billion.
  We need to end the sequester now by passing H.R. 900, the ``End 
Sequestration Now Act,'' of which I am an original co-sponsor.
  Madam Speaker, the level of cuts imposed by sequestration have 
already taken federal funding back to pre-2004 levels while our 
nation's schools are serving nearly 6 million more students since that 
time.
  Madam Speaker, to ensure equity for all students, Congress must 
reverse this course.
  To date, a disproportionate share of sequester cuts have impacted 
higher-poverty communities and therefore, students most in need--57,000 
children have already lost critical seats in Head Start classes, 
schools served by Impact Aid have already seen drastic reductions in 
funding, and additional harmful impacts are beginning to be felt in 
classrooms as the school year begins.
  Many of these school districts and their students rely heavily on 
federal resources for education funding; some even up to 50 percent of 
their total revenue.
  Madam Speaker, Americans have suffered long enough from the adverse 
impact of sequestration that House Republicans to seek to continue with 
resolution. The damage has been great and continues to get worse with 
each passing day the Republicans refuse to work across the aisle to 
reach agreement on a budget plan that is balanced and sensible.
  Consider the damage inflicted or to be inflicted on the American 
people by sequestration:


                               Education

  Teachers and staff for the 23 million students in high-poverty 
schools would be reduced by up to 47,000.
  Education services for 6 million students with disabilities would be 
curtailed.


                      National and Local Security

  Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program would be 
eliminated, resulting in 1,400 fewer police officers on the street.

[[Page E1362]]

  Our national security is being weakened as Army training rotations 
are being canceled; earlier this year nearly one-third of Air Force 
squadrons were grounded; and maintenance on equipment and facilities is 
being deferred.
  More than 600,000 civilian Defense employees (85 percent) were 
furloughed this summer for more than one week, meaning a pay cut of 
more than $1 billion.
  $37 billion in cuts to defense this fiscal year is harming economic 
growth and our military readiness.


                                 Health

  Cutting $1.5 billion from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
means less research into preventing, treating, and curing diseases that 
affect millions of Americans, like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
  A $285 million cut for the Centers for Disease Control is limiting 
their ability to detect and combat disease outbreaks like pandemic 
influenza; plan for public health emergencies; and facilitate 
immunizations that keep you and your family healthy.
  Cutting NIH by $6.7 billion will hold back life-saving research.


                                Seniors

  More than 5 million fewer meals are available for low-income seniors 
through Meals on Wheels and related programs.


              Infrastructure and Job-Creating Investments

  Community Development Block Grants to ensure decent affordable 
housing, provide services to the most vulnerable, and create jobs by 
expanding and retaining businesses cut to lowest level in its history.
  Clean energy and efficiency research are cut by nearly one-half and 
breakthrough cutting edge advanced energy research cut 81 percent from 
2013 enacted level.
  Major job-creating investments in highways, transit, railways, 
bridges and ports through the TIGER program would be eliminated, while 
putting modernization of the air traffic control system at risk.
  EPA cut by more than \1/3\ and grants to local communities for clean 
water and drinking water slashed.
  It is time for Congress to reject a continuation of these draconian 
cuts and replace the sequester with a balanced package that demands 
additional revenue, including closing corporate tax loopholes.
  Instead of continuing sequestration levels of funding, and trying for 
the 42nd time to defund, delay, or impede the implementation of the 
Affordable Care Act, we need to work together to develop a balanced and 
responsible plan that makes the necessary investments that will 
generate economic growth and create jobs that will enable Americans to 
live a middle class life.
  We should reject this resolution and adopt the substitute resolution 
offered by my colleague, Congressman Van Hollen, the Ranking Member of 
the Budget Committee.
  The Van Hollen Alternative is superior to the resolution before us 
because it eliminates the sequester's immediate, excessive, and 
irresponsible cuts to vital investments and replaces these with a 
roughly 50/50 combination of targeted spending cuts and limits on tax 
breaks to reduce the deficit in a balanced way.
  Moreover, the proposal achieves over $75 billion more in deficit 
reduction than the sequester would have achieved.
  I urge all members of the House to join me in voting to reject this 
irresponsible resolution that will not create jobs, places our economic 
recovery at risk, threatens the health security of millions of 
Americans, and jeopardizes the creditworthiness of our nation.

                          ____________________