David Obey: “let me explain what we have just seen and let me explain this motion. The majority party is insisting that we pass a…”

“let me explain what we have just seen and let me explain this motion. The majority party is insisting that we pass a resolution which continues in place lower funding levels that cut some $3 billion out of education and continue very savage reductions in environmental cleanup legislation. They argue the necessity to do that because the chairman has pointed out the abuse of a few programs. I just tried to offer a motion directed to eliminating every single abuse the gentleman just mentioned. I asked unanimous consent that they eliminate under safe and drug-free schools the ability to fund programs such as the gentleman just objected to. I also asked that under this bill we eliminate all funding for schools of cosmetology and massage therapy because the gentleman has objected to those. The gentleman then accuses me of a smokescreen for responding to the criticisms he has made in existing programs. He said, ``Why don't we fix it when we go into conference?'' Why do we not fix it right now? I would suggest what is really at stake here is they are desperately trying to hang onto the money they are cutting out of education so they can funnel it into their tax cuts for very wealthy people. And I do not think we ought to lay off 40,000 teachers so they can give a gift to their rich contributors. So what I am saying is simply this.…”