Xavier Becerra: “the citizens of this country deserve to know what is really at stake when it comes to the balanced budget. Everybody…”

“the citizens of this country deserve to know what is really at stake when it comes to the balanced budget. Everybody agrees we have to reduce and ultimately eliminate the Federal budget deficit, but what will it really take to get a balanced budget in 7 years without touching the amount of money we now spend on defense as the Republican majority proposes, while at the same time offering a big cut in income taxes? The Republican leadership is doing a real disservice to the American people by refusing to disclose what kinds of middle class programs we will probably have to get rid of in order to have to balance the budget by 2002. Just a few minutes ago in the Committee on the Judiciary the Republican majority defeated an amendment to exclude Social Security from cuts to balance the budget. What about student assistance? Probably kiss it goodbye. Unemployment insurance? Major cuts. Medicare programs? Devastating cuts. What about cures for cancer? Our research institutions are facing massive cuts if this budget amendment passes. These are just a few examples of the kinds of massive program cuts that will occur. It is time for this open Congress to be truly open and tell the people how it will balance the budget.”