Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4241, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4241, DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT OF 2005 -- (Extensions of Remarks - December 08, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2005
Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican plan to cut billions of dollars in services for the most vulnerable people in our country while giving away billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans--the so-called ``budget reconciliation package.''
This plan will harm low-income children and seniors, students, working parents and local government. It is an appalling plan that I oppose on both policy grounds as well as moral grounds. Denying access to food stamps to our poorest families is cruel and immoral when we live in a generous country of abundance.
The Republican budget reconciliation bill also makes significant cuts to Medicaid, a critical program serving children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. The Republicans propose to cut $11.4 billion from Medicaid, primarily through imposing increased costs on families which will result in decreased access to care. At a time when health care costs and the number of uninsured families in our country are increasing, this proposal is both unwise and unfair.
The Republican plan also cuts $14.3 billion from student loan programs, which will make higher education more expensive and less accessible at a time when our nation should be focused on educating and training a highly skilled workforce to compete globally. An investment in higher education is an investment in our future. The Republicans have chosen instead to ignore this reality and balance their mismanaged budget on the backs of students and families. .
It is also extremely disappointing that the Republicans chose to include their punitive reauthorization of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families in this bill. This plan increases work requirements and sanctions while severely underfunding child care. In order to work, families need access to safe, affordable child care. We know that Congress needs to fund child care at $7 billion in order match the new rigid work requirements, yet this bill provides an inadequate $1.3 billion. Families want to work but that is not possible if there is not safe, affordable child care available. In addition, the leadership has included a cut to child support enforcement funding in this package, which will make it more difficult for families to access the resources they need to care for their children.
My opposition also extends to the Republican desire to cut $70 billion in taxes, primarily for investors and the wealthy, while adding over $20 billion to the federal budget deficit. Rewarding the rich, punishing the poor and passing the cost on to the next generation is a disgraceful way to lead this nation. I will vote against this Republican reconciliation package and I urge my colleagues to join me.
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