Date: 2003-03-20
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. we take up this budget debate at a moment of great national challenge. The men and women of our armed forces have begun military action In Iraq. We wish them a swift and successful end to hostilities with a minimum loss of life on all sides. At this moment. when they are demonstrating such courage and sacrifice. we here at home must make responsible decisions about the kind of America we want for them and our children. The decisions we make tonight will affect the well being of our troops and all Americans for years to come. We must make important decisions about the future economic health of our nation and what Investments we decide to make for the common good. We need to adopt an economic plan that will put America back to work and a budget that reflects the priorities of the American people. Just as each family must make tough decisions about their own household budgets. so must we make tough decisions for our entire American family. How we decide to Invest our collective resources should tell us a lot about what we care about as a people and who we are. The budgets and economic plans we adopt should reflect the values and priorities of the American people. Mr. Chairman. I have listened carefully to the people in my district. I think I understand their priorities. And I believe that what they care about is what every American cares about. They want a country where every child has the opportunity to get a great start In life with a first rate education. They want a country where every American has access to quality health care. They want an America where there Is a job for every Individual ready to roll up their sleeves and go to work. And they want to know that their government is taking all reasonable steps to protect our homeland and be prepared to respond to national emergencies. These are the simple things we want for our families. our neighbors and our follow Americans. We are a great nation. We can do these things. Unfortunately. the Republican budget before us does not begin to meet the needs and priorities of our Nation. Mr. Chairman. just a short time ago I had the privilege of sitting In this chamber when the President gave his State of the Union address. At the outset of his speech. he made the following statement: "We will not deny. we will not ignore. we will not pass along our problems to other Congresses. to other Presidenls and other generations." Unfortunately. neither the budget submitted by the President nor the Republican Budget Committee proposal before us today passes that test. In fact the budget before us today does exactly what the President says he does not want to do. It does Ignore our problems and. if we dont fix those problems we will be simply passing the buck to future Congresses. future Presidents. and future generations. Look at education. Last year. with great fanfare. the President signed the Leave No Child Behind bill at the White House. Yet the ink was barely dry before the administration submitted a budget that fell well short of the promised funding. Well. when you leave the funding behind. you leave millions of children behind with nothing but broken promises. And the Republican proposal falls $9 billion shortdlmost 25 percent--of the funds authorized. That Is a terrible message to send to our school children and teachers. Look at health care. The Republican budget contains no meaningful proposal to address the problem of the 41 million Americans who have no health insurance. Apparently the Republican budget. proposes to leave this problem to future Congresses and generations. How about domestic security? The Republicans proposed budget ignores many of the needs outlined by the agency heads at the U.S. Customs Service. the Coast Guard. the Department of Energy and elsewhere. They have said they need far more resources to meet the threat than what is proposed In the Republican budget. So what have the House Republicans proposed? What Is their top domestic priority? Another huge tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits the super wealthy. Uke the President. the House Republicans have decided that the most pressing domestic problemthe one issue that cannot wait--is that the super wealthy are paying too much in taxes. That comes on the heels of the $1.4 trillion tax cut from 2001 that disproportionately benefits the very wealthy. And what will be the result of the Republican tax cut plan directed mostly to the wealthy? Even administration officials have conceded that it will do vittually nothing to stimulate the economy right row. The real result will be rivers of red ink and rising interest rates. The Republican -plan would result In a $324 billion deficit this year and lead to one of the sharpest reversals in Americas fiscal fortunes In history. And that doesnt even include one penny of the cost of the ongoing war with Iraq and its aftermath. The Presidents policies would take us from a projected $5.6 trillion surplus over 10 years to a projected $2.1 trillion deficit. The Republican Budget Committee proposal masks these longterm deficits by calling for huge and unrealistic cuts. The actual result of their tax cut proposals will be exploding deficits. Whos going to pick up the tab for this growing mountain of debt? The American people of course. Its simple. There are only two ways to deal with it in the long run. Either we substantially raise taxes on the next generation or we dramatically cut the areas of largest expenditureSocial Security and Medicare. Already. funds from the Social Security trust fund are going to pay for the Presidents last round of tax cuts. Remember that "lock box?" Well. the lock has been picked and the raid is on. The Republican budget plan makes the problem even worse. It is a guided missile aimed at the heart of Social Security. And its not just money In the trust fund that will be lost. we will also lose the trust of the American people. So. Mr. Chairman. I am very concerned with the reckless economic course proposed in the Republican budget. It does exactly what the President said in his State of the Union that he does not want to doit Ignores our very real current needs. and passes on the burdens of huge tax cuts to Social Security. Medicare and future Congresses and generations. I believe the Republican budget plan Is out of touch with the true hopes and aspirations of the American people. We have an obligation to confront our needs squarely now. We need to talk straight to the American people. The Democratic budget alternatives we are debating tonight all reflect the values and priorities of the American people better than the Republican plan. They correct the serious defects in the proposed Republican budget. All of them provide a great national investment in education. health care. homeland security. and prescription drug coverage for seniors. And they all do so without running up the huge deficits and debt contained in the Republican plan. One shortcoming in the Democratic plans. however. Is.thatalthough they all provide a greater investment in our childrens education than the Republican proposal. none of them reach the full level of funding promised In the Leave No Child Behind legislation. Full funding for Leave No Child Behind. IDEA: and the other educational commitments we have made must be a top priority. I will continue to press for a budget that keeps all the prom!ses we have made Americas children. While I am disappointed that the Democratic alternatives do not provide for full funding of these educational commitments. they come far closer than the Republican proposal. They also meet many other needs that are neglected In the Republican budget. I hope this Congress will adopt an economic plan and a budget that reflects the true priorities of the American people and does not pass the buck to future generations.