The President's Budget
THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET -- (House of Representatives - February 11, 2004)
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gingrey). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 7, 2003, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to join my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss the President's reckless, very reckless budget for fiscal year 2005 and to really examine the terrible toll that it will take on our country as a whole and specifically African Americans. And, Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), our distinguished chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, as we honor Black History Month fifty years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, one would think that we would be able to celebrate the end of the "separate but equal" doctrine and laud the accomplishments of America's black community.
There is no doubt that we have come a long way from the days of Jim Crow and segregated schools, but the "separate but equal" doctrine did not disappear with the waving of a magic wand by the courts fifty years ago.
Today, in some instances, it seems to be one accepted by the current White House. The President's Fiscal Year 2005 Budget released earlier this month is a potent example of this Administration's willingness to tolerate two Americas. But now, like then, the doctrine is better characterized as "separate and not equal."
Instead of celebrating the achievements of black entrepreneurs like Madame C.J. Walker, Earl Graves and Bob Johnson, I am obligated by the economic plight of many black Americans to discuss how the President's economic policies are failing minority communities.
Under the President's budget the White House seems to believe that "separate but equal" is acceptable in our nation's economy.
The President did not make job creation a priority in his budget. While he increased funding for some job programs as a campaign ploy, he cut funding for other programs. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate among African Americans increased last month to 10.5 percent, more than double that of white Americans. When the President assures Americans that the economy is getting better and that jobs are being created, he certainly can't be addressing black America.
In addition, the Bush budget cuts nearly $80 million in funding for the Small Business Administration, which plays a key role in helping minority owned small businesses grow.
Finally, the SBA programs targeted at low-income and minority communities-the Microloan Program, the New Markets Venture Capital Program, the Business Information Centers, and others-received no funding.
This month should also be a time for celebrating the black Americans who have contributed to education. Carter G. Woodson was a visionary who established Black History Month. Woodson realized that white and black America knew little of African Americans' accomplishments and he was determined to educate America on those achievements.
Instead, I am forced to talk today about the fight against a budget that will shortchange America's children, including African American children who disproportionately attend poorly performing schools. The President's budget would fail to provide $9.4 million in promised education funding, eliminate the Even Start program and freeze funding for Pell grants and cut the funding of Perkins loans by nearly $100 million, shutting the door on college for many minority students.
We should also laud this month the pioneering efforts of Dr. Charles Drew, whose groundbreaking medical work with blood and transfusions have saved lives around the world. Instead, we must focus our hearts and minds on the 7.4 million African Americans without healthcare insurance and the millions more who can barely afford to pay their premiums. The President makes no serious attempt to address these issues in his budget.
In addition, the President's budget cuts by 15 percent funding for the Office of Minority Health. This office supports disease prevention, health promotion, and educational efforts in minority communities. Black Americans suffer proportionally higher rates of heart disease, obesity and diabetes and are in need of such services.
The disparities between the lives of many African Americans and the rest of our country are unconscionable. Whether one looks to jobs, education and healthcare the President's budget fails to address problems facing the African American community at virtually every turn.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to be here today speaking of African American contributions and achievements. Instead, I am compelled to talk about the persistence of "separate but equal" in our society, and the sad fact that the President's budget does little to confront this entrenched separation in our country.
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