[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 161 (Friday, October 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 4, 2017

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the concurrent resolution 
     (H. Con. Res. 71) establishing the congressional budget for 
     the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting 
     forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 
     through 2027:

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chair, as the Ranking Member of the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform, I strongly oppose House Concurrent 
Resolution 71.
  This Budget Resolution would direct the Oversight Committee to 
identify a minimum of $32 billion in savings over ten years.
  Only two of the other 11 authorizing committees would be instructed 
to make more drastic cuts to federal programs--the Ways and Means 
Committee would have to identify at least $52 billion and the Judiciary 
Committee would have to identify at least $45 billion in cuts.
  Once again, House Republicans are targeting middle class civil 
service workers and their pensions for massive reductions.
  The Republican Budget would require federal workers to contribute 
significantly more to their pension plans than they do now.
  It would also end the retirement supplement for employees like law 
enforcement officers who are required by law to retire before reaching 
eligibility age for Social Security benefits.
  It would also eliminate pensions altogether for new hires.
  This Budget Resolution would slash the federal workforce by 10 
percent through attrition in certain agencies by limiting agencies to 
one new hire for every three employees who leave.
  I am utterly dismayed at the relentless Republican attacks on middle 
class federal workers without any real consideration of what they do 
every single day for the American people.
  Over the past several years, Republicans in Congress have cut federal 
employee compensation and retirement benefits for a total of nearly 
$200 billion in order to pay for deficit reduction and other government 
programs.
  The argument that federal workers must sacrifice for the good of the 
country might have made some sense when the country was struggling 
during the Great Recession, and they did sacrifice.
  But it makes much less sense now that our economy is recovering and 
the wage gains made by private sector workers are far outstripping 
those of workers who commit their lives to public service.
  The argument that federal workers must be continually forced to 
sacrifice for deficit reduction also loses its strength when House 
Republicans are trying to give tax cuts to the wealthy without paying 
for it.
  The Republican tax package would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit 
over 10 years, and 80 percent of tax cuts would benefit the top 1 
percent of Americans, who earn at least $900,000.
  While the wealthiest in our country would receive the vast majority 
of tax cuts, one third of middle class families making between $50,000 
and $150,000 would see their taxes increase.
  Many of these middle class families are federal workers who dedicate 
their lives to serving the American people.
  It is unfair and uncompassionate to treat our civil servants in this 
way.
  These are the men and women who aided in the rescue and recovery 
efforts as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria tore through Texas, 
Louisiana, the Southeast, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
  More than 32,000 federal employees were involved in helping families 
trapped in the storms.
  They include: disaster response teams from the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who provided temporary 
power and roofing, debris removal, and infrastructure assessment; 
National Guard soldiers and airmen who delivered food and water to 
survivors and cleared debris to open roads; Department of Energy 
personnel who ensured that fuel was available in impacted areas; Public 
Health Service officers who provided healthcare, including dialysis 
services to those in need; Members of the U.S. Coast Guard who helped 
ensure the delivery of relief supplies; and Agriculture Department 
employees who provided food to schools, shelters, and disaster 
organizations.
  Rather than targeting and penalizing these brave and selfless public 
servants, Congress must do a better job at showing how much we 
appreciate their efforts.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against House Concurrent Resolution 71.

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