[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27283]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        CUT WASTE, NOT PROGRAMS

  (Mr. WISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose this irresponsible 
Republican brought-to-the-floor budget bill. This bill does not extend 
the life of Social Security by 1 day. It does nothing to deal with the 
problem of high prescription drug prices, does not add one penny for 
Medicare prescription drug benefit. It does, though, hurt West Virginia 
families in very real ways.
  People talk about cutting waste, a 1 percent cut across the board 
they say will cut waste. Well, let us find the waste and cut that, but 
let us not go after the very programs that West Virginia families 
depend upon. For instance, the Head Start mother who is going to find 
that her child will not be able to go to Head Start. Or what about the 
family who is concerned about the war on crime and finds out that 110 
FBI agents will have to be cut under this? What about the veteran that 
came up to me at the Black Walnut Festival concerned about veterans 
health care and finds out the real cuts in veterans health care in this 
budget bill? And what about the hundreds of students in high poverty 
areas that are not going to qualify for the educational assistance 
programs they have been receiving?
  Bad bill, Mr. Speaker. Vote it down.

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