Corrine Brown

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, joining me for my 5 minutes is the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson. Mr. Speaker, I received a telephone call Thursday from one of my constituents, one of my veterans, a disabled veteran, and he was very concerned as to whether or not his benefits would be cut or whether or not he would receive them on time. I am very upset that the Republican leadership in this House is upsetting my constituents. Can we discuss how we got to this point with this 104th Congress?

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I think that this Congress has passed two appropriation bills, and my understanding is [[Page H 12162]] that we have to pass 13. In fact, if we had done our work then, we would not be in this crisis mode tonight.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentlewoman from Texas that in August I conducted a series of town meetings, and in one of my meetings we had a joint discussion with another Member from Florida, and he indicated in the August meeting that they were prepared to shut this Government down if the President did not go along with their extreme agenda.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Does the gentlewoman recall that we had that hundred days and all that charade? And how many bills have we passed in the 104th as compared to our class, the 103d?

Ms. BROWN of Florida. If we look at our history, the Congress has one duty, my understanding, and that is to pass the appropriation bills. Does the gentlewoman know when those bills are due?

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. One thing I have learned from the Republicans is: He who has the gold makes the rules. It is like if you invite someone over to your house to play cards and you change the rules each step of the way, that is what we are experiencing here. The Republicans change the rules to fit whatever they are trying to do at that moment.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Do we have a final word for our constituents as to what is going on in Washington and what they should do? I suggest that they call their Congresspeople and let them know how they feel about how they are wasting taxpayers' dollars by furloughing people, by shutting down the Government.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the Republican's are reaching an all-time low with their dirty tactics that threaten the livelihood of so many Americans by playing a game of political chicken. It is irresponsible and wrong for the Republicans to attach legislative riders to the continuing resolution. If we had a clean CR, we would all be home celebrating Veterans Day by now. But instead, the Republicans have attached so many draconian riders to this legislation. I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle this, What does raising Medicare premiums for seniors and placing lobbying restrictions on nonprofits have to do with keeping the Government up and running? Absolutely nothing. I, for one, find it unconscionable that the Republicans are attaching so many extreme nongermane provisions to the continuing resolution and the debt limit extension. These irresponsible bills will leave President Clinton no choice but to veto them. As a result of these Republican shenanigans, veterans will not receive their disability checks, seniors will not receive their Medicare, and thousands of Federal employees in my district will be sent home next Tuesday in the wake of a Government shutdown. It is dead wrong for the Republicans in Congress to play politics with peoples' lives.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, once again, the party of the rich and famous is up to their old tricks. The recently passed Republican budget reconciliation plan includes a provision [[Page H 11981]] that would allow corporations to raid $40 billion from pension funds and use it for whatever reason they see fit. This provision is just plain wrong. During the 1980's, approximately, $20 billion in pension funds were drained by companies and, in many cases, used to finance corporate takeovers and leveraged buyouts-- leaving the retirement savings of millions of American workers at risk. Mr. Speaker, why do House Republicans want to risk losing the pensions of 11 million workers and 2 million retirees? Why are House Republicans digging up this ill-advised pension raid which failed in the eighties and is certain to fail again? I think I know. It is another tax break for the wealthy at the expense of working people and retirees. The Senate rejected this language, and I urge the budget conferees to reject it too.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2586 because it includes legislation to dismantle the Commerce Department. This bill is extremely shortsighted. Frankly, I'm surprised that my colleagues are so willing to throw the baby out with the bath water. Commerce has a proven track record of providing the maximum bang for the buck. Although Commerce has the smallest budget of any Cabinet department, its services have contributed enormously to our Nation's economic well-being. For example, for an investment of $250 million in trade promotion programs, Commerce advocated successfully in 1994 for foreign contracts with U.S. export content of almost $20 billion. In addition, our economy is getting a return of 8 to 1 from Commerce's manufacturing extension centers. Similar examples can be found in other programs, from facilitating exports by reducing export control burdens, to spurring investments in telecommunications infrastructure and economic development through matching grants. This proposal would also eliminate Commerce's minority business development agency [MBDA], the only Federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth of minority owned businesses in America. MBDA provides funding for approximately 100 minority business development centers [MBDC's] located throughout the country in areas with the largest minority populations including Jacksonville and Orlando. The centers provide minority entrepreneurs with management and technical assistance services to start, expand, or manage a business. They are staffed by business specialists who have the knowledge and practical experience needed to run successful, profitable business. Minority business development centers are making a difference, they should not be eliminated. While the Republicans propose to terminate a few agencies that are making a difference, the bulk of Commerce's programs would continue but be dispersed to the President, other agencies, and be re-created as Commissions at considerable cost to the taxpayer. Rather than diluted through dispersal, these functions important for American businesses should remain unified at the Commerce Department. We should not destroy the Commerce Department and all the good that it does for our businesses. That's why the Commerce Department is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Let's use common sense. Vote against this antibusiness bill.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. As I always say, the Republicans talk a good game, but they do not walk that walk. When it comes to the American worker, clearly, you know, they do not stand up for the working people and not the retirees and not the veterans, and it just goes on and on and on.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman again. Mr. Speaker, I would tell the American worker that this reverse Robin Hood that is going on in Congress, robbing from the working people again, robbing from the retirees to give to the rich is the legacy of the 104th Congress.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I am a worker now.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Do you have any idea what they could use these funds for?

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Let me ask the gentleman a question, Mr. Speaker. However, as a worker, when you are rightsizing and downsizing, you do not need me. So even though it is my pension, I lose my job.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I just want to say that I think that time is running out, not just for us tonight, but for the American worker, and they need to wake up and contact their Congress person or contact their Senator on this issue.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. If the gentleman will yield, it looks like the leader, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon] has joined us.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I have always been so proud of serving in the people's House. I have served 10 years in the Florida House, and this is my third year here, but now I thank God for the other body, and I would say, contact your Senators also, because at least [[Page H 11935]] they have reasons, they have hearings. They just do not ram things through.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, this reminds me, in the 1980's we had the foxes guarding the henhouse. Now we put the foxes in charge of the henhouse, and that is the U.S. Congress, the people's House of Representatives. As a worker from Florida or a retiree, I am concerned. I am listening to you tonight. What can I do to turn this around.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I would just say that it is another example of the Republican extremists in this country, and remember, you think it is somebody else, but your pink slip is in the mail.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I really think that the American people, and particularly the retirees, because we have so many of them in Florida, need to wake up. They have no idea what these Republicans are doing up here. They have no idea that these Republicans are trying to raid their pension funds. We need to inform them. They need to wake up. If this goes on, this could be another S&L, would the gentleman not think?

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I thank the gentleman. First I would like to commend the gentleman from North Dakota for leading this special order, and also my other colleague. I am very proud of our class. Once again, the party of the rich and famous is up to their old tricks again. The recently passed budget plan included a provision that would allow corporations to raid $40 billion from pension funds and use it for whatever reason they see fit. This provision is just plain wrong. During the 1980's, as the gentleman indicated earlier, $20 billion in pension funds were drained by companies and in many cases used to finance corporate takeovers, leaving the retirement savings of millions of American workers at risk. Mr. Speaker, why do the House Republicans want to risk losing the pensions of 11 million workers and 2 million retirees, a lot of them in the State of Florida? Why are the House Republicans digging up this ill-advised pension raid which failed in the 1980's and is certain to fail again? I think I know. It is another tax break for the wealthy at the expense of the working people and retirees. Or perhaps they are saving the pension fund the way they are going to save Medicare and Medicaid, saving it by raiding it. The Senate rejected this language. I urge the budget conferees to reject it and all Members of this body, the people's House, to stand up for the people, the retirees, and the workers in this country. Let me say one thing before I go. This is a pink slip. If the American people do not wake up, their pink slip is in the mail.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans are at it again. The party for the rich and famous has devised a budget plan in which all Americans lose, except the wealthy. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is Christmas in October for all of those wealthy Republican campaign contributors because the Republicans are repaying them with generous tax breaks. Meanwhile, everyone else gets the short end of the stick. Under the Republican's reverse Robin Hood budget plan, so many programs that middle class and working families depend on--education, Medicare, Medicaid, child nutrition, Head Start, daycare, earned income tax credit, and housing, just to name a few, are being robbed while the wealthiest corporations and individuals will reap a $245 billion tax cut. Mr. Speaker, in order to balance the budget, a shared sacrifice is necessary; everyone must make sacrifices, not just the middle class and working people. The Republican budget plan will hurt American families. When it comes to family values, the Republican Party talks the talk but they certainly do not walk the walk. This budget proves it.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives is the People's House. We were sent here to Congress with a mission: to serve the people. As Members of Congress, we should be listening to our constituents and voting against proposals that will devastate our seniors, poor women, and children. First, the Republicans went after Medicare, saying they were going to save it by cutting $270 billion out of it. And this time, the Republicans are going after Medicaid, the program that serves the poorest, the sickest--people most in need. They said they were saving Medicare. Now they say they are saving Medicaid by cutting $182 billion from the program. Well, I come from Florida where I served for 10 years in the Florida House. In Florida we have a saying for that kind of thing, ``That dog won't hunt.'' Thousands of my constituents have told me that they are outraged at the Republicans' reverse Robin Hood tactics, stealing from the working people and the poor and giving tax breaks to the wealthy. Mr. Speaker, we can fool some of the people some of the time, but we cannot fool all the people all of the time. I am most concerned about how the Republican Medicaid plan will hurt Florida. Basically, it is a big slap in the face to the thousands of Floridians on a fixed income, just managing to get by. According to our Governor, the Medicaid plan will cost our State $8.4 billion over the next 7 years. But forget about these huge dollar figures for a moment. Let's look at this in real terms: people! Under the Republican Medicaid plan formula, hundreds of thousands of Florida residents would be cut from the program. Let me ask you: What do the Republicans think the Floridians cut off from Medicaid are going to do for health care? Do they have a plan for that? I don't think so. The biggest problem with the Republican Medicaid plan is that the Republican formula for distributing funds to the States does not take into account Florida's population explosion. Florida's growth should not be overlooked. My State will be capped at a 6 percent growth rate from 1998 to 2002, while Florida can expect that the growth in Florida is expected to go from 12 to 14 percent. That, my friends, is a cut. The Republicans are putting up smoke and mirrors when they say that these are not cuts. [[Page H 10699]] Let us look at the facts. Holding Florida to the measure of other States' growth rate is completely unfair. The numbers just do not add up. I do not care how you slice it, a cut is a cut is a cut. The Florida delegation should be working together in a bipartisan fashion to protect Florida. If these Medicaid cuts pass, we may well be declaring Florida a permanent disaster area. Not only are the Republicans cutting away at funds for these programs, they are cutting away Federal Medicaid protection for our Nation's seniors. Over 60 percent of our nursing home residents get help from Medicaid. In 1994, over 100,000 Florida seniors lived in our State's 649 nursing homes. Right now, these nursing home residents have rights. They are protected by the Federal guidelines. The Republican Medicaid plans cut out quality care standards which are currently in place. Take out these provisions, and I can see the newspaper headlines now: ``Abuse in Nursing Homes Increase.'' ``Doesn't Anyone Care About Nursing Home Residents?'' ``Where Have All the Nursing Home Watchdogs Gone?'' This is outrageous, and the Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. So, although I share the goals of balancing the budget, I cannot, in good faith, balance the budget on the backs of the poor, women, children, elderly, and the disabled. Last week in Florida, I spoke to the National Council of Senior Citizens; and, as I close, I want to close with one saying: Wake up, America. In particular, wake up Florida.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, the House of Representatives is the People's House. We were sent here to Congress with a mission: to serve the people. As Members of Congress, we should be listening to our constituents and voting against proposals that will devastate our seniors. [[Page H 10380]] Here I have hundreds of questionnaires that my constituents signed opposing drastic Medicare cuts. During the break, I met with over 3,000 of my constituents at 14 town meetings and they told me they are appalled at the Republican plan to cut Medicare. Oh, did I say CUT? I meant GUT. Mr. Chairman, the Republican Leadership is unhappy about us using the word CUT to describe the Republicans' Medicare plan. Okay, fine. Maybe CUT is not quite the right word. Well how about G-U-T? How do you like the word GUT? The fact is that Republicans want to destroy Medicare's security and leave our seniors stranded to fend for themselves. They say they are ``saving'' Medicare. Well, I come from Florida where I served for 10 years in the Florida House. In Florida we have a saying for that kind of thing, ``That dog won't hunt.'' Thousands of my constituents have told me that they are outraged at the Republicans' reverse Robin Hood tactics, stealing from the working people and giving tax breaks to the wealthy. As we say in Florida, ``That dog won't hunt.'' Two days ago, I spoke to the National Council of Senior Citizens, who have been leading the fight against drastic cuts in Medicare. NCSC has shown great courage and true leadership in this fight and I want to say to them: Thank you. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your bravery. And thank you for your commitment to seniors. Recently in Washington, NCSC led a rally against Republican Medicare cuts by rolling out a giant Trojan Horse representing Republicans' empty promises on Medicare. And last week, seniors from NCSC came to Congress to protest the fact that the Commerce Committee was voting on a Medicare bill without having one hearing on it. For that, they were arrested? Shame on my Republican colleagues for shutting out seniors from Congress--the People's House. As a Democrat who believes in the Democratic process, I believe those seniors deserve to be heard, and not arrested. Seniors are the ones who made this country great, and we owe it to them to protect their health care. We should be celebrating and embracing our seniors, not stabbing them in the back by taking away their health care.