[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9921-9922]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  REPUBLICANS PROPOSE RECKLESS TAX CUT WHILE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS GO 
                        WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, just a few steps away from 
the floor of the House, there are many of us gathered near the Senate, 
standing up to speak on behalf of the 75 million uninsured Americans: 
physicians,

[[Page 9922]]

representatives of hospitals, the American Medical Association, the 
National Medical Association, nurses' organizations, students; 
individuals who recognize, Madam Speaker, that it is not griping when 
we say that we cannot afford a $726 billion tax cut that will result in 
a $1.7 trillion deficit in this economy, it is the people of the United 
States. It is the veterans who are deenrolled who cannot go to 
veterans' hospitals even as I speak, even in my congressional district, 
because we have no money in the budget. It is the young men and women 
who are willing to offer themselves as the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq, 
the United States troops who will be returning, individual troops who 
make a $1,000 a month who cannot afford, when they leave the service, 
good health care.
  That is why we believe the tax cut cannot and should not be passed, 
because of the millions of individuals who are uninsured.
  I believe we should stand for what America believes in. That is the 
promise of America, that all of us should have equal access to health 
care. I believe that is what we should invest in, the people of this 
country rebuilding around the world our friendship, and not passing a 
reckless tax cut.

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