[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2804]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  THIS BUDGET IS A QUESTION OF VALUES

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, the budget is not just a question of 
numbers. It is a question of values. With Republicans ready to yet 
again propose a $150 billion tax cut for the wealthy, they have made 
their values very clear. They value giving a millionaire a tax break 
while our seniors struggle to pay for their prescription drugs. They 
value giving the wealthy a tax cut while mortgaging our children's 
future to pay for it.
  We Democrats have a different set of values. We value the commitment 
we have made to preserving Social Security and Medicare. We value the 
years of hard work our seniors have labored to build this country and 
the right they have to be able to enjoy their golden years without 
having to choose between the drugs they need and the retirement that 
they deserve. We value our Nation's children, who deserve a debt-free 
future, which is why we Democrats are fighting to use the surplus to 
pay down the national debt.
  That is why this budget is a question of values, and that is why we 
Democrats are ready to fight alongside our Nation's working families 
for the values they deserve.

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