OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2028, Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2029, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016; and Providing for Proceedings During the Period from May 4, 2015, Through May 11, 2015

Floor Speech

Date: April 29, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Entitlements and the Safety Net Health Insurance Government Budget and Spending

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule because, once again, here we are with all kinds of flowery notions about the law and so forth, and we are actually deeming this budget as passed.

As a member of the Budget Conference Committee, I can tell you that the reason for the delay is not because there was an attempt to reach a bipartisan agreement. Oh, no. The Democratic budget conferees have been completely shut out of the budget negotiation process.

You would think that without these pesky Democrats in the way, it would not have been that hard for the majority-controlled House and the Senate to come up with an agreement of how best to shred the social safety net, drive more people into poverty, cut our investments in infrastructure, block grant Medicaid, slash SNAP, end the Affordable Care Act and then, of course, keep the money and the savings from the Affordable Care Act, and take 69 percent of nondefense cuts from low-income and moderate-income families. They could have done it.

So instead of the majority party governing, they have resorted to this plan B and deeming the budget as passed.

Now, you know, this Republican budget claims to balance in 10 years, but it doesn't do it. It gets the savings from the Affordable Care Act, which it eliminates. And also, to appease the war hawks in the Republican caucus, they throw this money into the overseas contingency operations, also known as a slush fund.

And in the underlying budget, we see the Republican Party doubling down on the same ``cut our way into prosperity'' approach. That is another charade claiming that block grants are just another form of enabling States to have more flexibility. When you hear the word ``flexibility,'' think massive cuts. It means eviscerating the social safety net.

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