Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, today Republicans in Congress ignored the will of the American people and rubber-stamped the President's veto of important funding for our domestic priorities. After 7 years of unrestrained spending and a ballooning deficit, the President and his Republican allies in Congress have, under the guise of fiscal responsibility, rejected a $6.2 billion funding increase for education, health care, and workforce development, even as the President requests nearly $200 billion in unbudgeted, no strings attached funding to continue the Iraq War for another year. That is no way to balance America's checkbook.

Under the budget passed by the New Democratic Congress, we can take care of America at home--increase funding for our schools, offer more student assistance for college, invest in biomedical research at NIH, expand health care access, and help Americans compete in the global economy--and balance the budget by 2012. These priorities are America's priorities, and Democrats in Congress will continue to fight for them.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source