Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2016

Floor Speech

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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. I thank my colleague, Mr. Van Hollen, for
yielding time.

Mr. Chairman, we are debating the Federal budget at a time when
America is experiencing an economic recovery--unemployment is down; gas
prices are lower, and retirement accounts are healthier--yet that is at
risk if the Republican budget is adopted.

It would weaken America's recovery. How? The Republican budget turns
its back on what makes America grow and on what makes America strong,
including our students, medical and scientific research, and modern
transportation systems and infrastructure.

Democrats will offer a more optimistic vision for America that builds
on our economic recovery. Democrats want everyone to succeed while
Republicans shower tax breaks on the wealthy at the expense of hard-
working families.

The people I know and meet work hard every day. They value good jobs,
good schools, safe communities, and the promise of, when they retire,
that they can live their retirement years in dignity.

The Republican budget is not one for the hard-working people of
America. The Republican budget is crafted by the special interests for
the special interests. Republicans stack the deck against working
families and small businesses. They refuse to find one tax loophole to
close or change. If you are incredibly rich, then you are incredibly
lucky because this Republican budget is for you; you pay less.

If you are like the vast majority of Americans, hold on because you
are going to pay more. If you are a student who wants to attend
college, Republicans make it harder by cutting Pell grants and student
loans. If you have a job in transportation, infrastructure, or at a
port or at an airport, the Republican budget could cost you your job.
It will, at the very least, put us farther behind.

If you believe that America should remain the world leader in medical
research and innovation, sorry, as the Republican budget slashes
research at the National Institutes of Health, at our universities, and
at research institutions.

If you are an older American, the Republicans ask you to pay much
more for Medicare and long-term care. Republicans take away that secure
lifeline that has existed for decades since the Democratic Congress
passed Medicare and Medicaid.

In doing so, the Republicans break the promise to older Americans
that, after working hard all of your life, you can live your retirement
years in dignity, without the fear of poverty in your old age; you will
pay more.

The Republican budget is a cynical, special interest driven vision of
America. In contrast, the Democratic budget invests in what makes
America great and in what makes America strong.

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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. One noted economist recently advised that
America has the strongest economy in the developed world right now, but
the Republican budget puts that at risk in order to boost a special
few.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic plan and
what makes America great: a growing, healthy economy; our students;
scientific research; modern infrastructure in America; and the great
promise of our country.

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