Eva M. Clayton: “tomorrow we will consider the rule and the bill on rescissions. That $17 billion cut will begin to fundamentally change…”

“tomorrow we will consider the rule and the bill on rescissions. That $17 billion cut will begin to fundamentally change the way the Federal Government acts and responds, but more importantly, will begin to change the fundamental way we respond to Americans. While I suspect both will pass, I intend to oppose both the rule and the bill. The rule is too restrictive. First, it only allows the restoration of programs through other cuts within the same chapter. And second, the rule restricts cuts to those programs already proposed to be cut. In short, the rule is designed to ensure that the disproportion in cuts proposed cannot be changed. According to the analysis of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, low-income people will bear 63 percent of the cuts, where they only account for 12 percent. And over 12 percent of the total budget is paying 63 percent of the cuts proposed. The rule makes it virtually impossible to correct that imbalance of the shift of more burdens to the poor. I cannot support such a rule, Mr. Speaker.”