Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, ugly is ugly. This is an ugly budget, and it exists primarily to be a vehicle for tax cuts for the already fortunate, the top 1 or 2 percent in America, at the expense of everybody else. It will hemorrhage red ink for as far as the eye can see. That is not a theory. That is what happened in the previous massive tax cuts, both under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Let me give you one example of the ruinous aspects of this budget, and it has to do with Federal employees. This budget cuts Federal employee compensation and benefits by another $163 billion over the next 10 years, $32 billion of which is included in reconciliation and instructions which I sought to strike with an amendment submitted to the Rules Committee that was not allowed. The Republican cuts include higher retirement contributions; elimination of the FERS supplement, which law enforcement retirees heavily benefit from; lower annuities by changing the retirement calculation and reduced healthcare benefits; a 10 percent reduction in the Federal workforce at nonsecurity agencies, even though nearly all of the workforce increases, since 2001, occurred in security-related agencies. The Federal workforce provides vital services to our Nation. It includes those who patrol and secure our borders, protect us from terrorists, take care of our veterans, help run our airports, counter cybersecurity attacks, find cures for deadly diseases, and keep our food supply safe.…”