Allyson Schwartz

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, April 2nd, 2005 the world lost a great leader, a champion of peace and a beacon of hope to so many. The life of Pope John Paul II exemplified the virtues and duties of the faith he so devoutly taught. As a young man, he fought oppression by defying the Nazi regime to secretly study the teachings of his faith. As a priest, he fought for freedom by defying the Communist regime of Poland to teach the cherished values of Catholicism. As the Holy Father, he worked to end tyranny throughout the world. After surviving an attempt on his life, John Paul II--with unparalleled compassion and mercy--beseeched humanity to ``Pray for the brother who shot me, whom I have sincerely forgiven.'' Yet, just as his willingness to forgive was unmatched, so were his efforts to unite the global community. As the world's leading arbiter of peace, John Paul II rejected efforts to use religion as a barrier or as a reason for war, instead using it as a bridge to bring people of different faiths together. He traveled the world more than any other Pope, preaching non- violence and mediating conflicts. He reached out to the most vulnerable--the sick, impoverished and abandoned children--never letting religion determine who to care for and help. He unambiguously rejected anti-Semitism, asking for forgiveness for past Christian intolerances to Jews and courageously recognizing the state of Israel. The world will forever be grateful for the conviction with which John Paul II served and led. And, he will be missed by the people of all faiths and of all regions. Through his love and service to God he served billions of Catholics, but through his love and service of humanity he served us all.

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the resolution under consideration. As a former State legislator, I know how important Federal Government investments are. They allow State and local governments to meet our obligations without assuming the responsibility for Federal shortfalls or passing those costs along to local taxpayers. Federal investments acknowledge the shared responsibility for promoting economic growth, meeting health needs and ensuring educational opportunity. I strongly believe that the Federal Government must recognize its obligations, work within budgetary limits to meet them and to make smart investments focused on the Nation's current and future fiscal well-being. Unfortunately, the budget resolution before us does not meet these simple tests. Instead, it prioritizes tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations over meeting our obligations to average Americans. It fails to live within available revenues and increases future deficits. I fought for a seat on the Committee on the Budget because my constituents want me to be an advocate for strong fiscal discipline and wise Federal spending. During Committee on the Budget consideration of this budget resolution, I was proud to join my Democratic colleagues in putting forward amendments aimed at refocusing our spending and investments on the priorities that matter to the everyday lives of all Americans: creating and keeping jobs, supporting community development and providing for a safe and secure homeland. Specifically, I led the effort to better ensure adequate funding for police, first responders and security at our ports. Democrats and Republicans alike agree that our Nation's top priority is keeping Americans and this Nation safe. After all, nothing else will matter if we cannot protect the people of this country right here at home. Yet, at the same time, fire departments, police forces, ports and rail stations across the Nation are ramping up efforts to implement safety measures and better prepare for any kind of terrorist incident or extreme emergency. This budget proposes cutting the very programs that will help them meet these responsibilities. Despite these dire warnings of security at our ports in particular, this budget falls $4.7 billion short of what the Coast Guard estimates it would cost to secure our ports. Despite the fact that we cannot afford our first responders to be unprepared, this resolution recommends a reduction of $560 million in first responder funding. Let me say, Mr. Chairman, that we must do better, that we have to make sure that our first responders at our ports meet the obligations to all Americans, that we do all that we can to make sure that our government, the Federal Government, helps our local communities be strong and be safe.

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3, the ``Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users.'' As a former member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, I know firsthand the importance of having strong federal, state and local partnerships. By working together, we are able to better meet our responsibilities, and H.R. 3 will undoubtedly continue in this tradition--facilitating cooperation at all levels of government and helping us achieve our shared goals of improving our Nation's infrastructure, increasing safety, strengthening the economy and creating jobs. Investments in our highway and transit infrastructure are ultimately investments in our future. We know, for instance, that for every $1 billion invested in federal and highway and transit spending, 47,500 jobs are created. These investments stimulate economic activity by reducing time wasted in traffic, allowing business to move their goods to market more efficiently and safely. Additionally, modern, safe public infrastructure promotes private investments--both commercial and residential--and contributes to the growing vitality of the region. I am proud to represent one of the Nation's most vibrant regions, one that is comprised of suburban and urban communities. And, there is no doubt that H.R. 3 will improve the quality of life for Pennsylvanians-- reducing residents' daily commute through much-needed roadway repairs, the reconfiguration of intersections and the installation of hi-tech traffic-monitoring systems. It will also expand access to mass-transit alternatives such as regional rail and bus systems, like SEPTA, through improved park-and-ride facilities and other vital infrastructure. By reducing roadway congestion, improving road safety, stimulating commerce and creating jobs, H.R. 3 will help southeastern Pennsylvania and the Nation continue to thrive. My colleagues, H.R. 3 represents years of hard work, long hours and tremendous compromise. I want to thank Chairman Young and Oberstar for working together to create a bill worthy of such strong bipartisan support. I also want to recognize the hard work of the Transportation Committee staff, in particular Art Chan, Ken House, Jennifer Esposito, Stephanie Manning and Eric Van Schyndle. You've made this process seamless, and I am tremendously grateful for your help and guidance. As an honored member of the Transportation Committee I want to encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of this legislation.

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. I would like to make a few comments, and I ask for some of the gentleman's comments on some of my observations as a new member of the Committee on the Budget. I really sought to get on the Committee on the Budget. It is something I wanted to do because I know that my constituents sent me here to speak up for them, to look out for them and really to be an advocate for fiscal discipline, fiscal responsibility and for wise Federal spending. As a former State legislator, as a State senator for 14 years, I know how important Federal Government investments are, that they do allow our State and local governments to meet their obligations without assuming the costs and responsibility for Federal shortfalls. They allow for shared responsibility of new initiatives aimed at promoting economic growth, quality education, access to health care, protecting the environment, and providing for a safe and secure homeland. To do this, I want to mention three principles; and I would appreciate comments on it. I believe that we have to first recognize our obligations. The gentleman has talked about this, a good bit about our obligations that we already have. We have to work within our budgetary limits to meet them, and we have to make smart investments focused on the Nation's current and future fiscal well-being. Unfortunately, as the gentleman has been pointing out with his charts, the President's budget does not meet any of these three simple rules. Similar to his previous budgets, the President's fiscal year 2006 blueprint prioritizes the tax cuts for wealthiest Americans over meeting our obligations to all Americans, failing to adequately invest in keeping and creating new jobs, failing to expand affordable health insurance, failing to meet the health care needs of our veterans, and some of the other speakers talked about that, and failing to protect those who were working on our front lines to keep our Nation safe from terrorism. As the gentleman's chart points out, one of the greatest failings of this President's proposal is his intention to change our commitment to older Americans. Just last week, the President visited my district. He came to Montgomery County to promote his plan to change Social Security. Now, my constituents listened pretty carefully. Quite a few of them turned out. And they were anxious to know some of the details, some of the things the gentleman has on the charts, and what it would mean to them and to their families. I am going to just mention a few, and maybe the gentleman can help us with some of the answers. They wanted to know exactly what the term ``private account'' means. They wanted to know how private accounts would affect the value of their guaranteed benefit. They wanted to know whether it would provide more or less security for their retirement. They wanted to know how much they would really be able to control these accounts. And they wanted to know how the proposal would impact disability and survivor benefits. They wanted to know how this proposal could possibly strengthen Social Security for the long term. And, moreover, they wanted to know how we as a Nation could afford to pay that $4.9 trillion that it would cost to create these private accounts out of Social Security. I ask the gentleman to comment on some of these questions because before we can begin to talk at all about some of the long-term fiscal health of Social Security, we have to give the American people some of the answers the President has not given. What we do know, and I think the gentleman has some charts on this, is that the President's proposal will do two things. It will dramatically reduce guaranteed benefits, and it will significantly add to the Nation's growing debt. So I ask the gentleman to confirm these, and I will say one third thing that I know it does, and that is that it does nothing to promote the long-term solvency of Social Security.

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. I have heard from many of my constituents, just some of the initiatives and some of the deep cuts that the President is talking about, even though they are not going to affect the savings that we need to provide these private accounts. It does not equate. I have nurses asking me about loan forgiveness programs, teachers asking me about education.

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. It is true the private accounts really do not have the details from the President about how they would work, what they would really mean; and it is true that they do not strengthen the fiscal viability of Social Security unless what we are really talking about is deeply cutting benefits. Is that right?

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I can say as someone new to the Committee on the Budget, I appreciate the gentleman's wisdom on this. If we are going to meet some of our obligations to families and communities and to local governments, we have to be able to correct this budget, work together. I think the President has suggested that. I know that the gentleman has always worked closely with Republican counterparts. As a new member of the Committee on the Budget, I know that we as Democrats and Republicans want to be honest with the American people, tell them the real consequences of what we are doing, and come to a budget resolution that will meet the obligations of the American people. I thank the gentleman very much for his detailed information. I look forward to working with him to accomplish that goal.

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania

Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise with profound gratitude to the people of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District for electing me to represent them in Congress. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, I am honored that my first opportunity to speak on the House floor is on an issue so close to my heart. My colleagues, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), I and so many others stand today in remembrance of the 6 million Jews who lost their lives during the Second World War, many of whom were our aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, friends and loved ones. My mother, Renee Perl, was one of the many who fled their homeland. Forced to start anew at the young age of 14, she left Austria alone, spending time in Holland and England before arriving in Philadelphia at the age of 16 in 1941. Once arriving on the shores of America, my mother, like so many Jews, was hesitant to tell her story, hoping that by trying to forget about the war, the violence, the dislocation, the fear she could move on. Yet once in the United States, those who survived the Holocaust could not hide their gratitude and love for this country, relishing the opportunity and freedom granted to them as new Americans. My own love and respect for our country and my belief in our responsibility to each other stems in great part from this strong sense of patriotism. Elie Wiesel once said, ``We should all respect the uniqueness, the originality, the specificity in one another.'' It was leaders like Mr. Wiesel who inspired Jews to acknowledge the importance of remembering, of telling the stories, so as to never let a Holocaust happen again. My colleagues, what makes our country great is we respect differences: ethnic, religious, race, gender, geographic and political; that we have a government that reflects and embraces our Nation's broad diversity; and that we, as a community, are afforded opportunities to recall the good and the dark times in our shared history. Madam Speaker, I am tremendously grateful for being able to share my family's story, to know my mother would be proud to know that we were not only paying tribute to those who suffered tremendous pain and hardship, but to recall the Jewish people's great spirit to survive, continued faith in God, and unwavering belief in freedom and democracy.