Appointment of Conferees on S. 1932, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON S. 1932, DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - December 16, 2005)
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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, today, nine days before Christmas, I rise in strong support of the motion to instruct on the spending reconciliation bill. This motion to instruct would eliminate the most egregious aspects of the House reconciliation bill and would reduce the Republican cuts to less than $20 billion.
This Congress must not go home for the holidays, leaving a lump of coal in the stockings of the most vulnerable children in this country. That is contrary to the spirit of this holiday season and contrary to the values of this nation. If we adopt this motion, we will send the conferees on this bill a strong message that this should not be the season of ``suffer little children.''
This motion eliminates the cuts from the House bill that would affect the most vulnerable children in this country: It says no to cuts to our child support enforcement program: so that parents have to fulfill their responsibilities to their children. It says no to slashing food stamps: so that low-income children can be properly fed. It says no to cutting health benefits for low-income children: because we want all children to have access to health care in this country.
How can we possibly leave here and as one of our last legislative actions in this Christmas season to be accused of being scrooges to the least among us--poor children?
This motion stops the Republican raid on student aid: It would help make college more affordable, reducing interest rates and fees relating to student loans and increasing Pell Grants.
This motion eliminates the so-called ``mining reform'' in the bill, which is really a massive give-away of public lands to special interests: Selling public lands at fire sale prices. That is why sportsmen and women, environmentalists, and Western governors oppose this outrageous proposal.
This motion ensures that seniors and individuals with disabilities can continue to receive physician services under Medicare: Eliminating the reimbursement cut physicians would receive when treating Medicare recipients.
Two days ago, hundreds of faithful Americans descended on Capitol Hill in peaceful protest to stand up for working Americans, our children, the poor, those still hurting from Hurricane Katrina, and our elderly. In the freezing cold, in prayer and song, they called the Republican budget what it is--a moral failure, devoid of spiritual hope and nourishing resources.
This mean-spirited Republican budget takes food from the mouths of hungry children, cuts housing for Katrina evacuees, reduces support for our veterans, and fails to adequately provide health care for our elderly; all to provide tax cuts for millionaires.
I commend Reverend Jim Wallis and the pastors and church workers from across our country who marched on our Capitol. By adopting this motion to instruct, we would stand with them in the struggle for a budget that lives up to our American values of fairness and opportunity.
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