June 8, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 5699

PRESIDENT VETOES DISASTER

RELIEF

(Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was

given permission to address the House

for 1 minute and to revise and extend

his remarks.)

Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year this House passed a responsible bill that provided emergency

funds for those who were affected by

disasters throughout the country. Just

like ordinary Americans we cut spending elsewhere to offset these new expenses. But the President says we cannot provide relief to those in need.

So to those living in California who

were devastated by earthquakes and

fires, I am sorry, the President says

your plight is not important enough to

him. To those in Oklahoma City, still

reeling from your loss, I am sorry, this

time the President does not feel your

pain.

The responsible rescissions bill that

the President vetoed yesterday would

have provided disaster relief to more

than 40 States throughout this country.

How do you spell, ‘‘Relief.’’ Well, unfortunately for needy Americans, if

your this President of the United

States, you spell it V-E-T-O.

WINDFALL FOR THE WEALTHY

MEDICARE CUTS MEAN A

f(Mr. NADLER asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to express my outrage with the

Republican proposal to force the Nation’s seniors to pay for their tax cut

for the rich. The Republican budget

proposal would force our seniors to pay

more than $1,000 out of pocket for medical care each year, while giving the

very wealthiest 1 percent of Americans

an annual windfall of $20,000.

It is outrageous that at a time when

our Nation’s seniors are struggling to

make ends meet the Republicans have

chosen to make their medical care

more expensive. We must not force our

seniors to pick up the tab for a huge

tax break for the very wealthiest

Americans. The Republicans claim that

they must cut Medicare because they

project that the system will be out of

money in 7 years. But even if you accept their figures, and I certainly do

not, most of the $286 billion the Republicans would cut from Medicare and

take from our senior citizens would be

used to pay for their tax cuts. A windfall for the very wealthy, not to save

the future of Medicare for seniors.

For shame.

HONORABLE MAX M

TRIBUTE TO THE LATE

fCCARTHY

(Mr. QUINN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to honor the memory of Richard Dean

McCarthy, better known as Max

McCarthy, who recently passed away.

Max was a member of the House of

Representatives from 1965 to 1970.

Max last worked for the Buffalo News

as the Washington bureau chief. His

last column appeared in the News 2

days after he had died. In the words of

the Buffalo News, ‘‘Max was an outstanding citizen of Buffalo, outstanding patriot and a fine newspaperman.’’

Max McCarthy served our Nation in

two wars. He was with the Navy in the

Pacific Theater in World War II and

with the Army in the Far East during

the Korean war.

After serving Buffalo and western

New York in the House for three terms,

Max lost a bid for the U.S. Senate and

then worked as press attache in the

United States Embassy in Iran. Prior

to working for the Buffalo News, Max

also worked in the White House as an

adviser in legislative affairs in the

Carter administration.

Max was a avid writer. He was first

published in the Buffalo News as a corporal in the Army, stationed in Japan

in 1952. He sent accounts of military

life to the Buffalo Evening News and

they published his stories. Max also

wrote some books, one of which led to

congressional hearings, policy reviews,

and the cancellation of a plan to dump

outdated nerve gas in the sea.

Max was known for his honesty and

integrity. He received numerous

awards and recognitions for the service

he provided to the western New York

community in many different ways.

Western New York is still reaping the

benefits of many of Max McCarthy’s

projects.

Max lost his long fight with Lou

Gehrig’s disease in early May. He will

be missed by his family and the community.

PREVENT CHANGES IN MEDICAID

(Mr. PALLONE asked and was given

fpermission to address the House for 1

minute.)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, the

House Republican budget resolution in

my opinion is heading us toward block

granting Medicaid with strict caps on

funding provided by the Federal Government to the States. These proposed

caps in Federal spending will reduce

services to individuals who benefit

from Medicaid. As with Medicare, I believe that Medicaid should be reformed,

but in the context of health care reform.

One-third of the spending for Medicaid provides benefits to senior citizens,

especially in obtaining long-term care

such as nursing home care. Another

third of the funding assists those who

are disabled or blind. As the program is

currently structured, by the beginning

of the next decade, every child and

pregnant woman will receive health

care services, universal coverage in effect for children. My fear is that by

making the proposed cuts in this program, many of these people will see a

reduction in their health care services,

and may not even continue to receive

health benefits.

This is a very negative effect of the

House Republican budget, and I hope

that we can in Congress over the next

6 months prevent these changes in the

Medicaid Program.

PRESIDENT’S VETO FAVORS BIG

GOVERNMENT, ABANDONS DEFIfCIT REDUCTION EFFORTS

(Mr. RADANOVICH asked and was

given permission to address the House

for 1 minute.)

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker,

President Clinton’s veto of the rescissions bill goes to the heart of the reason why the liberal Democrats lost

control of Congress last year. Liberals

are totally committed to big government, and it it totally outside their

realm of understanding to reduce the

deficit. They are incapable of thinking

in terms of less government and less

bureaucracy. Their political commitments and rigid ideology render them

completely ineffective in solving the

problem of deficit spending.

When liberals like Bill Clinton get up

and say they want to reduce the deficit, you have to wonder who he is trying to fool.

I cannot for the life of me figure out

how President Clinton has any credibility on deficit reduction or the budget.

By vetoing the rescissions bill, the

President says that big government

and big bureaucracy are more important than our children’s future. This is

why liberals lost control of Congress.

They say one thing, but do another.

Liberals may say they want to balance

the budget, but their actions say that

government is more important than

people, and certainly more important

than America’s future.

THE PRESIDENT’S VETO—THE

RIGHT THING FOR AMERICA

fMr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to commend President Clinton

for his veto of that awful rescissions

bill that the Republicans tried to inflict on the American people. This bill

was a direct assault on our children,

our seniors, and our needy. The Democrats have a better plan.

I believe that we can reduce the deficit without cutting programs like student loans and Medicare. Education

should be our top priority, and the Republicans have sadly neglected and ignored the needs of America’s youth.

The President’s alternate proposal

includes cutting out billionaire tax

loopholes, cutting government overhead, and cutting foreign aid. These

are areas that should be cut, not programs that the American people depend on.

The President did the right thing.

Now it is up to Congress to do the right

thing for America.