John Joseph Moakley: “we are finally at the end of the contract. For 100 days America's children, senior citizens, and working families have…”

“we are finally at the end of the contract. For 100 days America's children, senior citizens, and working families have watched the Republican Congress gut their school lunches, home heating assistance, and student loans. And for what reason? To pay for tax breaks for the very rich. To continue to allow billionaires to renounce their American citizenship to avoid paying taxes. The tax bill we are considering today illustrates very clearly the winners and losers in the Republican contract. This bill takes money from school lunches and hands it over to the very rich in the form of tax breaks--from the mouths of babes to the pockets of billionaires. Some people are very happy with the Republican Congress. Some people got what they wanted. They had their cake and they will eat it too. Those people are special interest lobbyists, corporations, and millionaires. The losers were children who get meals at school, young people who need summer jobs, and families whose homes are heated with the help of the LIHEAP Program. Mr. Speaker, I was sorry to see that Mr. Solomon's own committee, which is stacked with nine Republicans to four Democrats, refused to make in order any amendments. Yesterday he called himself the fiercest deficit hawk up here. Still, despite the demand of 102 Members of their own party, despite Mr. Solomon's support, the Republican leadership refused to allow amendments to slow down tax cuts in the face of exploding deficits.”