Kendrick Meek: “I oppose both the tax provisions and the spending provisions of the reconciliation bill. I want to say why, Mr. Speaker.…”

“I oppose both the tax provisions and the spending provisions of the reconciliation bill. I want to say why, Mr. Speaker. The spending cuts that the House approved today fall mainly on the weakest members of our society, on the sick and on the elderly. Tomorrow we will be voting on tax cuts that mainly favor the wealthy. Today the House voted to rob from the poor so that tomorrow the majority can help the rich. I think that is wrong, Mr. Speaker, and I oppose both parts of this strategy. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the poorest 20 percent of families, those with an average annual income of only $9,200 will get $63 less because of the majority cuts in Federal spending and changes in taxes. Think of this, Mr. Speaker. The wealthiest 1 percent of the families, those with an average annual income of $442,000 come out as big winners. They will have $27,000 more. That means that the extra money they get under this majority bill exceeds the total income of the poorest in this Nation. I represent many of those people, Mr. Speaker. I seek an appeal to the Congress to look at this bill that has these tax cuts that will not help the poorest of the poor. The majority here in the House wants to pay for these unfair tax cuts by squeezing large public hospitals like my public hospital in Miami, Jackson Memorial. It helps the poor and that is probably one of the few hospitals that must take the poor.”