David Obey: “Mr. Chairman, yesterday we talked about the implications of this bill for working Americans. Today we are moving to the…”

“Mr. Chairman, yesterday we talked about the implications of this bill for working Americans. Today we are moving to the portion of the bill that attacks our most vulnerable citizens. This is really the second stage of a three-stage attack on the elderly, on disabled, and poor Americans. Last week, this House adopted legislation which will substantially increase the rent that low-income elderly will pay to live in section 8 housing and other federally subsidized housing. In September we will be considering legislation that will radically scale back the options of senior citizens on Medicare and will substantially increase their out-of-pocket expenses, and today we are attacking vulnerable Americans on another front in this bill. This bill kills the program that helps pay winter fuel bills and summer air-conditioning costs when the alternative is that their heat and electricity will be cut off, 6 million American families, 80 percent of whom make less than $10,000 a year, we are going to kill that program. The bill will dramatically cut back opportunities for part-time community service work for programs like Green Thumb. We are cutting Federal support for senior center activities, RSVP programs, senior aides, foster grandparents.”