Date: 1990-10-04
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this legislation for one simple reason: The Committee on Agriculture was not allowed to perform its duty. I think that this package is inconsistent with fairness and equity to American agriculture. I support now the resolution so that we may be allowed to do our duty in reconciliation. Mr. Speaker. there is little good to say about this budget resolution except that it is a broadbased plan to reduce the Federal deficit which is crippling our Nations economy. Throughout my years in this body I have tried to the best of my ability to represent my constituents in south Texas. This vote is one of. if not the most difficult. vote I have ever cast as a Member. If I alone could ram a budget through Congress it would not increase taxes and Medicare premiums that fall disproportionately on the working poor and middle class. The people of south Texas are going to feel the pain of these tax increases. They will feel it every time they gas up the car to get to work or go to the grocery store. Most south Texas retirees have little more than a small Social Security check to depend upon for their entire existence. To these already hardpressed senior citizens. a $300 increase in their Medicare deductible will have a major impact on their quality of life. For that reason. I will work particularly hard to find ways to avoid this devastating blow. If I alone had put together this budget package. it would not propose these deep cuts in the vital programs that serve as a safety net for American farmers. Farmers are willing to bear their fair share of deficit reduction. And Congress has put in place policies that have helped bring farm program spending down by more than 50 percent since 1986. But from the start of this budget summit. the Bush administration has made little secret of the fact that it wants to virtually .ismantle the farm programs. As a Member of the House and as the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture I have tried to represent the interests of my constituents and the needs of American agriculture. As their representative. I must reserve the right to oppose these provisions which I believe are neither fair nor equitable. I have told the House Democratic leadership of my strongly held views about these issues. But my colleagues. as a Member of this body I must also ultimately weight these interests with what is in the best interests of our Nation. Mr. Speaker. I dont like this budget resolution" But the prospect of a sequester and its devastating impact on our Nation is far worse and we all know it. A sequester means even worse cuts in our domestic social programs. It means horrendous cuts in Medicare. veterans programs. and other areas. It means farm programs alone face a $3.3 billion hit compared to the $1.3 billion called for in this budget resolution for next fiscal year. A sequester means that we virtually shut down the Government Therefore. I will vote for this budget resolutionnot because I favor its individual parts for I dont But I recognize that as the elected representatives of the people. we cannot allow this paralyzing debate over political priorities to continue. We must make a decision and we must go on with the business of governing this Nation of ours. While I will vote for this budget resolution. I reserve the right to oppose the Inequitable provisions contained In it when they come back before us in reconciliation. And I will continue to work as an individual Member toward a more fair and equitable deficit reduction package.