Republicans Cut Important Programs

REPUBLICANS CUT IMPORTANT PROGRAMS -- (House of Representatives - October 18, 2005)

(Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this week House Republicans plan to move ahead with drastic cuts to domestic programs. Republicans say the cuts are necessary to help fund the reconstruction of the gulf coast after Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Speaker, the programs House Republicans plan to cut this week are the very ones that have helped Americans in the gulf coast begin to pick up the pieces after losing their homes and their jobs. Imagine being injured during the hurricane and not having any access to health coverage because your job simply no longer exists.

The Federal Medicaid program has helped thousands of gulf coast residents with their health care bills over the last month. Now House Republicans are demanding that we cut Medicaid services. I know Republicans will say we need to make these cuts to address the deficit they created; but if Republicans really wanted to address the budget deficit, they would revisit their giant tax breaks for America's millionaires.

We are really helping the wealthiest elite in our Nation when there are so many people struggling from Hurricane Katrina. I cannot believe that the Republican answer to Hurricane Katrina is to cut the programs for the poor.

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