[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 170 (Tuesday, December 3, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7403]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               SEQUESTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Negrete McLeod) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. NEGRETE McLEOD. Mr. Speaker, as budget negotiations move 
forward, Congress must remain committed to work in a bipartisan manner 
to find reasonable solutions to create jobs, expand the economy, and 
strengthen the middle class, while continuing to reduce the deficit in 
a responsible way.
  To do so, Congress must lift the across-the-board sequester cuts that 
are inflicting damage to communities across the Nation. There is no 
question that we need to cut the deficit, but we should do so without 
cutting programs that seniors, veterans, small business owners, 
students, and our children rely on.
  In California, it is estimated that, with sequestration, more than 
15,000 children will not receive vaccinations for diseases such as 
measles, whooping cough, and influenza, and 8,200 children will be 
eliminated from federally funded early childhood education programs 
such as Head Start. This is unacceptable, and Congress must fix it.
  After the extensive damage done by the government shutdown that cost 
the economy $24 billion, according to an assessment by Standard & 
Poor's, we must avoid another shutdown and another crisis by passing a 
budget that does away with sequestration. Americans cannot afford 
budget policies that weaken our economy, squeeze the middle class, and 
cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.
  Congress needs to come to a compromise on a real spending plan that 
will increase revenue rather than just slashing critical programs. 
Congress needs to make sure that Medicare and Medicaid are protected 
and strengthened.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand ready to support a commonsense, job-creating 
budget.

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