Eva M. Clayton: “This conference report is good if one is among the few who are well off and healthy, but it is bad if one is like so…”

“This conference report is good if one is among the few who are well off and healthy, but it is bad if one is like so many of our citizens, they are struggling and facing poor health. This conference report gives a $150 billion tax cut to the wealthy while, in reverse form, Robin-Hood like manner, it takes from the old, the young, the students, families, communities, especially farming communities. This conference report cuts programs from agriculture at a time when indeed our agriculture communities are struggling. Discretionary spending for agriculture is cut. Resources needed to process claims and make timely loans are cut. Funds for programs to provide vital information to farmers are cut. Over a 5-year period, this budget resolution cuts the purchasing power of agriculture by 9.1 percent over the next 5 years. It provides $500 less in income assistance to farmers than the House-passed resolution, and that was, indeed, inadequate. Mr. Speaker, with this conference report education funds are cut, the Head Start program is cut, after school programs are cut, Pell grants are cut, and there is no school repair nor monies provided for more teachers. Rural seniors indeed need help. Rural seniors on Medicare are over 50 percent more likely to lack prescription coverage for the entire year over urban beneficiaries.”