Lynn C. Woolsey: “how this Congress chooses to spend our Federal funds says a lot about who we are as people and as a Nation. So what are…”

“how this Congress chooses to spend our Federal funds says a lot about who we are as people and as a Nation. So what are we saying today? The Republican budget, which will cause 40,000 children to lose Head Start services by the year 2005, says that preschool services for low-income children just is not very important. On the other hand, the Progressive Caucus budget is the only budget resolution being offered today that will fully fund Head Start. And should this Nation not increase funds for child care subsidies by $4 billion, as the Progressive Caucus budget does, instead of causing over 12,000 low-income children and their families to lose their child care subsidies, as the Republican budget does? What priorities are being reflected when the Republican budget freezes funding for higher education, for training and employment programs? The progressive budget increases funding for education at every level, including education technology and after-school programs. The Republican budget, which increases defense spending, while making deep cuts in domestic spending, says loud and clear that weapons are more important than people. Is that what this Nation is really about? Is that who we are as people? I am not, and I say that this Nation's national security should be measured by how we invest in our children, not weapons. Our true national security depends on how well our children are educated.”