[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 5563-5564]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               THE BUDGET

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
January 20, 2004, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, later this week the House is on the verge 
of passing a $2.3 trillion budget with a $500 billion deficit, showing 
that it is impossible to finance three wars with three tax cuts.
  This budget repeats the same mistakes that have resulted in a jobless 
economy and a wage recession here in America, with the lowest growth in 
wages in a period of economic growth ever in American history.
  This budget continues the status quo economy, an administration that 
refuses to budge and change its failed policies that have led to nearly 
3 million Americans unemployed since it has taken office, 43 million 
Americans who are working without health care, 4 additional million 
since they have taken office, 2 million Americans who moved from the 
middle class to poverty, nearly $1 trillion worth of corporate 
individual bankruptcies and stagnant wages.
  During the 2000 presidential campaign, President Bush declared that 
he opposed nation-building. Who knew it

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was America he was talking about. You would think if your results of 
your economic policies led to 3 or more million Americans without work, 
43 million Americans without health insurance, $1 trillion dollars 
worth of foreclosed corporate assets, poverty rolls increasing, you 
would change direction. What are we about to do with this budget? Put 
our foot on the accelerator and do the same old thing that will result 
in the same policies.
  In 3 years we have added $3 trillion to the Nation's deficit, and 
nearly 3 million Americans have lost their jobs. Three wars, three tax 
cuts, $500 billion in deficits. That has been the result of the 
economic policies of this administration; and this budget that we are 
going to vote on will continue the policies that have given America 
woefully inadequate services on health care, college education, jobs, 
retirement security, and also economic security.
  This budget and the President's economic vision is really the tale of 
two budgets, one for America, one for Iraq. We have spent well over 
$100 billion on Iraq's occupation but without promising the same future 
that we are promising the Iraqi children and families.
  Let us just go through it.
  When we talk about universal health care in Iraq and free job 
training to Iraqis, 44 million Americans go without health insurance 
and 8.2 million Americans are without jobs.
  In the area of health care, 2,200 Iraqi health officials are being 
trained by the United States, and 8,000 volunteers in Iraq are 
receiving free training. In America, under the budget being proposed, 
we have cut health training funds by 64 percent here at home.
  One hundred fifty clinics and hospitals in Iraq have been rebuilt, 
serving 3 million Iraqis. One hundred percent prenatal and infant 
coverage in Iraq. In America, community health clinics cut by 91 
percent. Maternal and Child Health Care, Healthy Start, family 
planning, all frozen resulting from cuts in those budgets.
  In the area of jobs, in Iraq $60 million is being spent to train 
Iraqi veterans for past wars; and yet in this budget we gut veterans 
and veteran health care, resulting in every veterans organization 
opposing the budget we are going to vote on.
  In the area of education in Iraq, we have built 2,300 schools for the 
Iraqi children but have underfunded Leave No Child Behind by $8 billion 
here at home. Iraqi universities are getting $20 million for higher ed 
partnerships. In America, we have cut $91 million from the Perkins 
loans and frozen Pell Grants for college education.
  In the area of police and security, $470 billion is being spent, $500 
billion is being spent for Iraqi police. Yet the COPS, Community Police 
Program, $659 million in this budget is cut from the police that we put 
on our streets here at home.
  In the area of housing, $470 million is being spent for Iraq public 
housing. Yet we have cut in this budget that the President proposes and 
the Republicans are going to vote on $791 million from section 8 public 
housing vouchers.
  In the area of environment, in Iraq, $3.6 billion in waters and sewer 
improvement; in America, a $500 million cut from the Clean Water State 
Revolving Fund that provides drinking water for every American.
  In the area of ports, the Port of Umm Qasar in Iraq was completely 
rebuilt for economic development. The Army Corps of Engineers here in 
the United States, a 63 percent cut for port security upgrades.
  Roads. We spent $240 million on roads and bridges for the Iraqi 
infrastructure, and yet mass transit here in the United States in the 
budget will be frozen.
  As the President seeks reelection he will be running on a pledge that 
he kept. He was opposed to nation-building, and he has kept his pledge. 
The problem is he is opposed to nation-building here at home in 
America. We can do in it in Iraq, but we should not leave America 
behind.

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