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WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today voted for the Democratic
and Congressional Black Caucus alternative budgets “which recognize the
true needs and values of our Nation,” and opposed the “Republican budget
of mass destruction.”
Schakowsky
said that in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy, “the Republicans
are literally proposing to take away food and health care from low-income
families, kill 48 education programs by eliminating the $4.3 billion that
funds them, slash veterans’ health care – including cutting $9 million
from medical and prosthetic research, and undermine community development
in struggling neighborhoods by cutting $1.5 billion in grant programs.”
Under
the House Republican budget, in Illinois, the Earned Income Tax Credit
is cut by $164.2 million, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and child
care grants lose $84.3 million, and Supplemental Security Income – which
helps poor seniors and people with disabilities – slashed by $174 million.
Schakowsky
warned that the $20 billion Medicaid cuts proposed in the budget would
result in “millions of Americans no longer able to get the physical health,
mental health, and long term care services they need to remain healthy
and productive. Guaranteed support for pregnant women and children,
persons with disabilities, persons living with AIDS or mental illnesses,
and senior citizens needing medical care or long term care services would
be cut.”
“In
my state of Illinois, Medicaid covers 40 percent of all births, 30 percent
of all children, and 65 percent of all nursing home residents. But, if
the Republican budget cuts are enacted, it may no longer be there for the
millions of Americans who have no other source of care – other than bankrupting
their families or mortgaging their futures to pay for their parents’ long
term care needs or their children’s medical services,” Schakowsky said.
“Democrats
understand that budgets are not just about numbers, they are about values
and priorities. It is time to reverse course so that we do not continue
to mortgage our country’s future and our children’s prosperity in order
to pay for tax cuts for the rich that we cannot afford and that they do
not need,” Schakowsky concluded.
The
full text of Schakowsky’s statement is below:
Mr.
Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Republican budget of mass destruction
and in support of the Democratic and Congressional Black Caucus alternative
budgets which recognize the true needs and values of our Nation.
We
do not need to call in weapons inspectors to find the threat to the majority
of Americans in this budget, nor do we need a warning system. We
know exactly what, when, and where the damage will be because the Republican
budget, once again, puts the tax cuts of the few above the needs of the
many.
Under
the Republican budget, the vast majority of Americans are asked to sacrifice,
with one exception: the wealthy who can most afford to give something
up. Their tax cuts – the same tax cuts that brought us unprecedented
deficits – are protected and even extended under this proposal. They
will cost our country an additional $106 billion, of which 75 percent will
go to people making over $200,000 a year.
In
order to pay for those tax cuts, the Republicans are literally proposing
to take away food and health care from low-income families, kill 48 education
programs by eliminating the $4.3 billion that funds them, slash veterans’
health care – including cutting $9 million from medical and prosthetic
research, and undermine community development in struggling neighborhoods
by cutting $1.5 billion in grant programs. Despite Republican
claims, these cuts will do nothing to help our country’s bottom line, but
they will be devastating for the children, working families, veterans and
seniors who will be asked to go without. This is not only irresponsible,
but immoral.
In
the state of Illinois, we could see the Earned Income Tax Credit – the
most effective anti-poverty program – cut by $164.2 million, Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families and child care grants lose $84.3 million,
and Supplemental Security Income – which helps poor seniors and people
with disabilities – slashed by $174 million. Thousands of vulnerable
peoples’ lives will be destroyed if this budget passes.
The
House Republican budget is even worse than the President’s proposal.
For instance, they propose even greater cuts to Medicaid than under his
plan. The $20 billion in Medicaid cuts included in this budget resolution
are unwise, unjustifiable and almost certainly lethal. As health
care costs continue to rise, the number of uninsured Americans exceeds
45 million, and employers continue to cut back on coverage, Medicaid has
provided a guarantee of support for pregnant women and children, persons
with disabilities, persons living with AIDS or mental illnesses, and senior
citizens needing medical care or long term care services. Without
those services, millions of Americans will no longer be able to get the
physical health, mental health, and long term care services they need to
remain healthy and productive.
In
my state of Illinois, Medicaid covers 40 percent of all births, 30 percent
of all children, and 65 percent of all nursing home residents. In
Illinois, under the leadership of our governor, we are working to expand
Medicaid to cover more children and more families in face of a growing
crisis in health care. This is not just the right thing to do; it
is the cost-effective course to take. Medicaid costs less than private
health insurance and its per capita costs are growing more slowly than
private insurance premiums. But, if the Republican budget cuts are
enacted, it may no longer be there for the millions of Americans who have
no other source of care – other than bankrupting their families or mortgaging
their futures to pay for their parents’ long term care needs or their children’s
medical services.
Budgets
are not just about numbers, they are about values and priorities.
Based on the Republicans’ proposal, maintaining and making permanent tax
cuts for millionaires has been and continues to be a higher priority than
meeting the needs of the majority of Americans. And, they are shifting
the responsibility of their fiscal mess onto the backs of our children
who will see decreased services and will be asked to deal with deficits
for years to come.
The
Democratic and CBC budgets recognize that this is the wrong thing to do
and a great threat to our nation’s future well-being and prosperity.
It is time to reverse course so that we do not continue to mortgage our
country’s future and our children’s prosperity in order to pay for tax
cuts for the rich that we cannot afford and that they do not need. I urge
my colleagues to vote against the Republican WMD and for the Democratic
and CBC budgets. Thank you. |
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