[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

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                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 8, 2005

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, the President's budget is a blueprint of 
his priorities. A way of showing what direction he wants to move the 
country. Based on the last four years, it is no surprise that the 
President's budget is more of the same: continued tax cuts for the 
wealthy paid for by slashing programs that Americans depend on.
  While the President has urged a return to fiscal discipline, he has 
been more of a culprit than a savior. This year's budget continues to 
move in the wrong direction, and the FY 2006 deficit will likely be the 
largest in history. The President's projected deficit is not even a 
credible accounting, as the budget completely omits the President's own 
plans for tax cuts, Social Security privatization, and fighting the 
wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These programs alone will cost trillions 
of dollars over the next decade.
  The President says spending cuts are necessary to keep the deficit 
from increasing even more. This is only half accurate. Without the tax 
cuts enacted since 2001, our nation's fiscal health would be much 
rosier, and the President would not be asking the neediest and most 
vulnerable Americans to sacrifice.
  With control of the White House and both Houses of Congress, this 
blueprint shows America the real Republican agenda. They want to cut 
Medicaid by $60 billion over ten years and put more of the burden on 
states and the 45 million Americans who do not have health insurance. 
They want to eliminate 48 education programs that provide assistance 
with vocational education, education technology, and civic education. 
And they want us to fall $12 billion further behind in our commitments 
under No Child Left Behind, handing an unfunded mandate to states and 
shortchanging our teachers and students.
  While the Department of Homeland Security receives ark overall 
increase in funding, the President proposes cutting FIRE grants by 30 
percent and first responder funding by 10 percent, in addition to a 42 
percent cut for the hugely successful COPS program. How does this 
budget make us safer?
  Perhaps most egregiously during this time of war, the President wants 
to impose new fees and increase copayments for veterans' health care, 
adding an undue burden to those who have served their country so 
honorably.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in returning fiscal responsibility to 
the budgetary process and creating a realistic blueprint that meets the 
needs of the American people, not just the President's wealthiest 
supporters.

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