Date: 2005-03-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. the gentleman from North Carolina . for his steadfast support of the development of this CBC budget alternative and also the gentleman from Virginia for his leadership. I appreciate and applaud their steady stream of ideas and positions on issues we all care about. This Republican budget proposal clearly ignores the needs of my State and all working Americans. The $2.57 trillion budget for fiscal year 2006 that President Bush laid before Congress is more out of touch than all the rest that he has submitted. It fails to include huge costs that taxpayers will have to bear. and its priorities do not match the needs of millions of people. It is. in short. a budget in need of a thorough congressional overhaul. The level of funding proposed in the Presidents budget for research and development. especially basic research. is far from adequate. I believe that Federal investments in science and technology make sense. Americans have funded groundbreaking research into disease prevention and amazing new medical breakthroughs. cuttingedge business technology. energy efficiency and educational tools that help our children learn in new ways. But in this budget. funding for the National Science Foundation would struggle to keep up with inflation and programs at most other major agencies are cut. There is a direct connection between investments in research and development today and economic prosperity and world leadership tomorrow. That is why the CBC budget plan w ould continue to invest in the National Science Foundation. in NASA. research at schools and universities and new energy technologies to give business consumers more affordable. cleaner energy. Just this week. EPA issued a statement that really rolls us back in protecting our air. We have no clean air in Texas. I do not know about anyplace else. As lawmakers. we do have the responsibility to ensure that all Americans. including minorities. are able to move ahead to achieve the American Dream. Life. liberty. and the pursuit of happiness meant all people. Mr. Chairman. it is up to the Congress to inject a dose of realism into this budget debate. Only then will the country get a budget that makes sense. Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Mr. WATT. for his steadfast support of the development of this CBC budget alternate. I also want to thank Mr. SCOTT for his readership. I appreciate and applaud their steady stream of ideas and positions on issues we all care about. I also would like to thank all of the members of the CBC and their staff for their help in completing this very worthwhile project. The Republican budget proposal clearly ignores the needs of Texas and of all working Americans. The $2.57 trillion budget for fiscal 2006 that President Bush laid before Congress is more out of touch than most. It fails to include huge costs that taxpayers will have to bear. and its priorities dont match the needs of millions of people. It is. in short. a budget in need of a thorough congressional overhaul. Mr. Chairman. the level of funding proposed in the Presidents budget for research and development. especially basic research. is far from adequate. I believe that federal investments in science and technology make sense. Americans have funded groundbreaking research into disease prevention and amazing new medical breakthroughs. cuttingedge business technology. energy efficiency. and educational tools that help our children learn in new ways. But in this budget package. funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) would struggle to keep up with inflation. and programmes at most other major agencies are cut. Bushs science and technology budget would drop from an estimated $61.7 billion in fiscal year 2005 to $60.8 billion in 2006. The science and technology includes programs such as space exploration. renewable energy. and agricultural. research. as well as technologyrelated research and development at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). There is a direct connection between investments in research and development today. and economic prosperity.and world leadership tomorrow. Thats why CBC budget plan would continue to invest in the National Science Foundation. NASA. research at schools and universities. and new energy technologies to give business and consumers more affordable. cleaner energy. As lawmakers. we have the responsibility. to ensure that all Americans. including minorities. are able to move ahead to achieve the American dream: life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Mr. Chairman. it is up to Congress to inject a dose of realism into the budget debate. Only then will the country get a budget that makes sense.