Mike Honda: “I would like to start out my comments with a quote. ``See, I ran for office to solve problems, not to pass them on to…”

“I would like to start out my comments with a quote. ``See, I ran for office to solve problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and future generations.'' President Bush at a fund-raiser in Oregon, August 21, 2003. Mr. Speaker, I believe our national budget should reflect a community's values and priorities. It should reflect the needs of the American people, including good jobs, safe community, quality education, and access to affordable health care. In my home district in Silicon Valley, we understand the value of investment. This means crafting budgets based on right choices. Do we fund a trillion dollar tax cut or do we provide after-school programs for our children? Do we give away billions to HMOs or do we help seniors afford their prescription drugs? Do we increase tax breaks for the businesses that ship jobs overseas, or do we work to recover the 2.6 million manufacturing jobs lost in the past 3 years? Unfortunately, the budget submitted by President Bush fails to fund priorities important to middle-class Americans. President Bush's budget has a different set of priorities: budget-busting tax cuts, fiscal irresponsibility, overpayments to HMOs, and reduced funding for important domestic programs. President Bush's budget lays out $1 trillion for tax cuts but provides $9.4 billion less for education than was promised in the No Child Left Behind Act.”