Further Conference Report on H.R. 3010, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

FURTHER CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3010, DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - December 14, 2005)

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me this time.

This is not Mr. Regula's bill. I do not really believe it is Mr. Lewis' bill. It is the bill that is the result of the fiscal policies we have been pursuing for the last 5 years, however.

And let us be clear. The so-called new and improved Labor-HHS bill is virtually identical to the conference report that the House rejected on November 17 in a bipartisan way. There is no reason for any Member to vote for it today, in my opinion. It is just like the flawed first version. This conference report betrays our Nation's values and, I think, investment in our future.

Last week, this House majority passed more than $94 billion in additional tax cuts, the benefits of which go mostly to the wealthiest in America. This week with this bill, we are slashing discretionary spending for education, health care programs, worker training, and assistance to the most vulnerable of Americans. That is just half of it. If the Republican leadership gets its way, it will impose an across-the-board cut that nearly doubles the cuts in this bill to some $3 billion.

Let no one be mistaken. When push comes to shove, this majority without fail puts its friends ahead of our Nation's future. I do not refer to the chairman of the committee or the chairman of the subcommittee.

Now, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle can claim there is little they can do to improve the funding levels in this bill, because the fiscal policies they have pursued have put them in a position where we have insufficient funds to fund the priorities of this Nation.

They say they have no options, no alternatives. They say they are only complying with funding levels dictated by the Republican budget resolution. One of my Republican predecessors, Mr. Regula's Republican predecessor, refused to vote for the budget simply for that reason a number of years ago. He said, I cannot do this bill within the context of the budget that is presented.

Now they want to conveniently ignore the undeniable truth. They voted for that budget resolution, which put them in the straits they now find themselves. They want to vote for draconian cuts in April and proclaim that they are getting tough on spending and then 8 months later they want to disclaim responsibility when those cuts are enacted.

The inappropriate funding levels in this conference report are the inevitable consequence of the most irresponsible fiscal policies in the history of our Nation that we are pursuing, of policies that have spawned record deficits. This administration started with a $5.6 trillion surplus. It is now confronted with a $4 trillion deficit. There are no fiscal conservatives on that side of the aisle, I tell my friends, of policies that this Republican majority and the administration have enacted to deliberately deprive our government of the resources that it needs and that our people know our country needs.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say that I am particularly incensed that at a time of record heating costs, the subcommittee defeated Mr. Obey's amendment to provide an additional $2 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

I predict to you today, just as when we rejected funding for the veterans that we said was necessary and their health care, you are going to be back here with a supplemental funding additional energy costs for seniors.

And, by the way, let me also say Mr. Obey had an amendment which was going to give to seniors an additional 6 months to make a determination to figure out this incredibly complex prescription drug bill that we have put on their doorstep, and that was rejected unanimously by Republicans while it was unanimously supported by Democrats.

The message here, Mr. Speaker, is unmistakable and sad. While the wealthy have money to burn, the poor get to shiver in silence. I simply do not understand why the majority refused to adopt a second amendment, as I said, to extend time for seniors. We all know the reality. The Republican prescription drug plan is so complicated and confusing that millions of seniors need and deserve more time to weigh their options.

I urge my colleagues to vote against their conference report. I regrettably say that, but I think the failures contained in it compel that conclusion.

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