On the recordFebruary 16, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I've come to the well today to talk about what I call the insensitivity of the Republican majority as they seek to cut important domestic spending that will affect low-income and working class families in America. Every Member of this Body, Mr. Speaker, understands that we must reduce the deficit. We understand that. We must put America on the path of fiscal responsibility. And so we don't need lectures from the Republican majority. We don't need partisanship. What we need, as the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee said a few moments ago, we need a bipartisan solution to these great problems. While some of the Republican solutions in H.R. 1 will certainly eliminate ineffective programs, these cuts cannot be made arbitrarily, and they should not be made simply to make good on a political campaign promise. Many of the proposed cuts will only cost us more in the long run. One glaring example, Mr. Speaker: Republicans want to cut $1.3 billion from community health centers. Republicans ignore the fact that, since the start of the recession, 4 million additional Americans have lost their health insurance, which means that more and more people rely on community health centers. When the uninsured get sick, they do one of three things. They stay home and get sicker and lose productivity, or they will go to the emergency room and leave a bill that all of us will end up paying for and the insurance companies will pay for. Or, Mr.…





