[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 1994]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      BUDGET AND HOMELAND SECURITY

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, President Bush has campaigned across the 50 
States, has campaigned by issuing promises to strengthen our Nation. He 
has pledged to improve our schools, to create jobs, to protect our 
homeland, but soon after these promises were made, we see how empty 
they are.
  President Bush fought against providing funds for his own education 
bill. It is still unfunded and leaves our children behind.
  President Bush fought to prevent Congress from extending unemployment 
benefits for laid-off workers. We worked hard to at least to get a 
reference, and now President Bush is fighting to prevent the Federal 
Government from spending the funds necessary to protect our homeland.
  When we say ``homeland security,'' we are not talking about fancy 
technology or a building. We are talking about training and equipment 
for first responders, the men and women of our local police force and 
fire departments, the ones who will be putting their lives on the line 
in case of a terrorist attack.
  Warren Rudman, the former Republican Senator, who helped lead the 
United States Commission on National Security in the 21st Century, said 
about the Bush budget, ``The bottom line is that it appears to us we 
are going to be underfunded in several key areas.'' His comments were 
echoed by a current Republican Senator and decorated Vietnam veteran 
who said Bush's budget is ``not even sufficient to provide for the 
first responder program in the States. It is not sufficient to provide 
for broader security.''
  We have known for some time that this President puts children second 
to tax cuts for the rich. We have known he puts jobs second to tax 
cuts, but to see our national security sacrificed in favor of a tax cut 
skewed to millionaires really takes the cake.
  Now the President has an opportunity tonight to prove that he values 
national security more than tax cuts. I urge him to embrace that 
opportunity.

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