Lynn C. Woolsey: “In my dictionary, a ``slush fund'' is defined as ``a fund for bribing public officials or carrying on corruptive…”

“In my dictionary, a ``slush fund'' is defined as ``a fund for bribing public officials or carrying on corruptive propaganda.'' Yet, the Speaker of the House used that term, and the chair of the Education and Labor Committee used that term ``slush fund,'' to describe the prevention and public health fund, which saves lives by paying for childhood immunizations and screenings for cervical cancer and birth defects. We are the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world. I refuse to accept the idea that to solve one problem, we have to create another. The Democrats proposed righting the Ryan Republican budget wrong by taxing oil company profits. Therefore, their suggestion that we go from 3.4 percent interest to 6.8 can be paid for out of the wealth of oil companies that benefit from our country so tremendously. Mr. Speaker, I reject the blackmail inherent in H.R. 4628. I don't want anybody to know that it's okay to pit one group against another, and we cannot undermine health care to pay for education. We have to do the right thing. We have to choose both.”