[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4934]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                TAX DAY

  (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. KUCINICH. On tax day, remember the ramifications of waging wars 
abroad.
  In 2011, 39 percent of our income tax dollars went to the Pentagon 
and war, only 9 percent for trade, commerce, education, and employment 
programs. The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation estimates 
the war in Iraq and Afghanistan cost the average American family of 
four almost $13,000 in 2011 alone.
  National unemployment rates continue to be between 9 and 10 percent, 
while our families struggle to pay their mortgages, send their kids to 
school, and feed their families. Compared to the approximately $159 
billion budgeted in fiscal year 2011 for wars, the $6 billion Congress 
budgeted for the Workforce Investment Act, primary Federal programs 
supporting workforce development, is paltry.
  We have nearly 23 million Americans either unemployed or 
underemployed and about 5.5 million who have been unemployed for 27 
weeks or more. Wake up, America. Wars are ruining our economy. On tax 
day, remember our government has a responsibility to use our money 
wisely, not to waste hard-earned tax dollars on unnecessary wars.
  The answer to war and economic decline is peace and prosperity.

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