[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4831-4832]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
            THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY'S RECKLESS SPENDING PLAN

  (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)

[[Page 4832]]


  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, the cloud hanging over this Chamber is the 
threat of a government shutdown. We are engaged in what is literally a 
life-or-death debate about our priorities as a country, and the 
Republican majority's reckless spending plan doesn't just betray our 
national values, it highlights their values.
  They are demanding cuts to financial aid for students and assistance 
to homeless veterans or they'll shut the government down. They want to 
slash heating assistance for low-income seniors or they'll shut the 
government down. They're even demanding we sacrifice the needs of 
police officers, firefighters, nurses, seniors, and even pregnant 
women. And on top of all that, they're fighting to protect billions in 
tax breaks for Wall Street and oil companies or they'll shut the 
government down.
  In other words, they demand sacrifices from everyone except 
millionaires, billionaires, and their corporate benefactors. That's why 
I think we ought to call the reckless GOP spending plan ``good old 
payback.''
  Mr. Speaker, we cannot let politics and corporate profits trump smart 
and compassionate policy and the well-being of our Nation. I urge my 
colleagues to reject these demands and fight to create a government and 
an economy that works for all Americans, not just the wealthy few.

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