Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4297, Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4297, TAX RELIEF EXTENSION RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - December 08, 2005)

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Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this $56 billion tax break, mostly for millionaires in our country. Forty-five percent of this tax break goes to the ultra rich in our country, the top 1 percent average getting $32,000 apiece in tax breaks out of this bill. So how do they get the money? Well, last month, the Republicans lectured us on the need to have fiscal discipline. They had to cut Medicaid for the poorest seniors and kids. They had to cut student loans for children across our country. They had to cut the food stamp program for kids. But guess what? The amount of money that they were cutting on food stamps and Medicaid and health care services and student loans is exactly equal to the amount of money they are giving in tax breaks to millionaires. In other words, every dollar that is cut out of the Medicaid program is going to be put over here into tax breaks for millionaires. $50 billion. $50 billion cut in Medicaid and student loans, $50 billion in tax cuts for the rich. For health care programs, as they cut the health care programs, it goes over here today on a tax cut for millionaires.

When they cut student loans the money comes from kids and it is going over here to millionaires. And by the way, they are $6 billion short, so they are just going to increase the deficit. Why? So they can give more tax breaks over here to millionaires. More tax breaks for millionaires. Cut poor people, cut children, cut Medicaid benefits, cut the money that we are going to be giving to seniors, to keep them in nursing homes with Alzheimer's and with Parkinson's disease, just keep cutting it. Give more tax breaks to the millionaires. Something is going to have to be cut.

They cut the poorest. They cut the most vulnerable. They cut the youngest. And where does the money go? The money goes to millionaires. That is what this whole thing is about. It is one big scam. You know, there is an old joke. The priest goes up into the pulpit on Sunday and he says, on Wednesday, Father O'Brien will lecture on the evils of gambling in the church hall. On Thursday in the church hall, bingo.

Last month the Republicans lectured us on the need for them to cut poor people to do something about the deficit. Today, bingo. Tax cuts for the millionaires. Every millionaire is a winner in America under the Republicans' plan. But the money is all coming from the poorest people in our country and it is going over into the hands of those who need it least. Vote no on this Republican atrocity in our country at a time when the poor need it the most and the rich need it the least.

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