Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2003.'' This legislation will renew and strengthen the current assault weapons ban set to expire this Congress. I am joined by 68 of my colleagues in support of this legislation and overall goal of keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of criminals.

In September 2004, the assault weapons ban, which is supported by virtually every Federal, State and local law enforcement agency, is set to expire. Since its introduction in 1994, the ban has increased public safety and prevented dangerous weapons from falling into the hands of violent criminals, including gang members and terrorists. Unfortunately, even with its many successes, would-be criminals have demonstrated the ban's limitations.

A gun manufacturer's ability to slightly modify an assault weapon, and the sale of ``parts kits'' which permit criminals to assemble unlawful assault weapons, is a massive loophole in the current law, allowing these weapons to flood the market and jeopardize the lives of law enforcement officers

Additional steps must be taken to address these types of problems. This legislation begins by improving upon the current definition of a semi-automatic assault weapon to include any semi-automatic weapon that accepts a detachable ammunition magazine and possesses, a single, narrowly defined, assault weapon characteristic. Furthermore, it contains a provision that makes it more difficult for individuals to purchase or sell parts that make it possible to convert a lawful semi- automatic weapon into an unlawful assault weapon.

During the 2000 election cycle, then-Governor Bush made a campaign promise to support the extension of the ban, as did Attorney General Ashcroft during his 2001 Senate confirmation hearing. I am glad to hear of their support and look forward to working with them in the upcoming months. I can think of no legitimate reason for civilians to have access to military-style weapons that are useless for recreational activities and only serve the purpose of furthering unwanted criminal activity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill because it is a shortsighted attempt to appease special interests at the expense of driving our country deeper into debt and shortchanging important programs.

America is going through very trying times. The economy is stagnant, unemployment is up, consumer confidence is down and our Armed Forces have just fought a war with Iraq. Tax relief and stimulating the economy for Long Island have been my priorities since I came to Congress, and given the current state of the economy, are critical now more than ever.

The debate surrounding an economic stimulus package comes down to simply asking the question, ``What stimulates the economy?'' There is a fine balance between giving our economy a shot in the arm, slowing the growth of the deficit, giving families and small businesses the tax relief they need and protecting our country's national security concerns.

Today's proposal falls short from achieving this balance because the bulk of its stimulus is aimed at providing dividend and capital gains tax relief. This $280 billion proposal, more than half the cost of the entire bill, does not provide our economy the bang for the buck needed for future growth.

In fact, I'm concerned this proposal could actually have serious impacts on other segments of the economy. For example, if we provide special tax treatment for companies that offer dividends, what happens to smaller companies who do not offer dividends, but instead use additional income to invest in their company, i.e. technology, etc.? Would they have a difficult time attracting investors? Moreover, what happens to the bond market? Municipalities rely heavily on bonds to finance school construction and other public works projects. How will they compete against companies that offer dividends with this new tax treatment?

Instead of spending the bulk of a stimulus plan on a proposal that only benefits companies offering dividends, we should help the areas of our economy that could benefit most from a stimulus. For example, State and local governments are struggling as the faltering economy has caused huge fiscal problems for the States, at the same time that States need to spend more on critical investments, such as homeland security, healthcare, and education. In fact, States are facing budget deficits in the range of $60 to $85 billion for State fiscal year 2004, larger than any time in the last half-century.

We can help our States by investing in infrastructure and homeland security projects that create jobs and lowers unemployment. In addition, it would cost a fraction of the $280 billion dividend proposal Republicans insist on passing today.

What I find equally upsetting is the disregard for our national debt. This bill pushes our country $550 billion deeper into debt. And although Republicans claim that going deeper in debt is necessary to get out of debt, you must carefully examine the polices that claim to bring us back into balance. Unfortunately, Republicans have failed to show why we should support a dividend tax break instead of helping our States and middle-income households. If we are going into debt, it shouldn't be on the back of flawed policy.

As the majority, House leadership could have allowed plenty of time to debate the merits of their proposal, but instead they choose not to allow anyone to offer amendments and limit debate to 2 hours. This balant disregard of the Democratic process is yet another example of this Republican Congress cowering to special interests and forcing another flawed policy on the American people. This take it or leave it attitude does nothing to improve the state of our ailing economy. It does, however, jeopardize what we leave behind to our children.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Nurses Week, an established recognition event created to pay tribute to the nurses who give care to millions of patients every day. National Nurses Week is celebrated every year beginning May 6 and ending May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. ``Nurses: Lifting Spirits, Touching Lives.'' is the theme for 2003.

As a nurse for over thirty years, I am proud to be part of such a caring and compassionate group of professionals. And as a Member of Congress, I have the wonderful opportunity of fighting for issues and policies that affect nurses and the nursing profession.

A major national issue concerning the nursing profession is the growing nursing shortage. With various new career options for healthcare professionals today, prompting nurses to gradually move away from patient care and into fields with better pay and benefits, nurses are grappling with becoming financially competitive.

Of the estimated 2.5 million licensed nurses in our country, 400,000 have left the profession for other pursuits. In 2000, Long Island had an 8 percent RN vacancy rate and a 16 percent LPN vacancy rate. Nationwide, hospitals need more than 125,000 nurses to fill all the nursing positions available today.

Over the past few years, I have been successful in educating my colleagues on both sides of the aisle about the importance of addressing the nursing shortage. It is vital for the health of this nation that the nursing field continues attracting experienced and educated candidates.

To that end, I played a lead role in the passage of H.R. 1436, the Nurse Reinvestment Act last year. This critical piece of legislation

combines my own bill to provide money for Magnet hospitals Accreditation and another bill I offered to retain and attract nurses. Magnet hospitals enjoy low turnover and top-notch work conditions. Nurses at magnet hospitals consistently report greater job satisfaction than other nurses, and patients also give these types of hospitals high ratings. Attracting more nurses to move into positions at magnet hospitals will both lower the nursing shortage and help the profession remain competitive with other health care fields.

Although last year's legislation is a good start, more needs to be done to find ways to recruit more young people to the nursing profession. That is why earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 934, the Teacher's and Nurses Support Act of 2003. This bill provides loan forgiveness for teachers and nurses around the country. I want to encourage every student that nursing, in my view, is the best profession in the world. This legislation would help eliminate financial barriers to pursuing a nursing career.

In closing, I urge my fellow nurses to tell friends, children and neighbors about all the positive aspects of being a nurse. We need to excite our students in high school and junior high about our career choice and how nurses are always there to help the sick get better and to make sure the healthy stay that way.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today with deep concerns with H.R. 1350, the bill to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Prior to IDEA being passed in 1975, many children with disabilities did not receive access to education, and worse they were denied any educational services at all.

As a result of court decisions and congressional action, schools were required to offer children with disabilities a free appropriate public education.

Since then, Congress has acted to strengthen these laws time and time again regardless of whether it was a Republican-controlled or Democratic-controlled Congress.

Today under H.R. 1350, we are taking a large step backward especially with regards to disciplining students.

Current law allows a school to suspend or expel a student with disabilities if he or she brings a weapon or drugs to school, or is found by a hearing officer to be likely to injure themselves or others. Education services must be provided for up to 45 days in an alternative setting.

In addition, current law requires schools to determine if the problem which caused the student to be suspended or expelled was due to his or her disability. This bill removes these important safety provisions completely.

Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1350 allows students of all disabilities to be removed from classrooms for any behavior for an indefinite period of time.

Mr. Chairman, I am the first person to say we need to protect our children from violence in the classroom. Therefore if a student with attention deficit disorder hits another student, the student with attention deficit disorder can be expelled indefinitely.

As a nurse, I can tell you that attention deficit disorder is widely misunderstood by teachers and principals throughout the country. However, it is recognized by Congress as disability under the law we are amending today and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Mr. Chairman, this provision in H.R. 1350 alone cuts out the very heart of IDEA. IDEA was created to prevent this type of discrimination against disabled students. If a student's health problem is the reason for causing trouble in the classroom, the health problem must be taken into account before the child is expelled indefinitely. We should be strengthening the current law instead of weakening it. It's just common sense.

As a student with disabilities, a nurse, a mother, and a Member of Congress, I am hopeful that we protect all children.

With that, I urge all my colleagues to vote against this bill that takes the heart out of IDEA.

We should be doing more not less for our students.

Mr. Speaker, I have named Gotham Avenue School in the Elmont Union Free School District as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for April 2003. Mr. Marshal Zucker is the Principal at Gotham Avenue School, and Dr. Maria Palandra is the Superintendent of Schools in the Elmont Union Free School District. I also acknowledge Joy Madera, a Trustee on the Elmont Union Free School District Board of Education who helped arrange the school's selection. The school has 840 students in grades Prekindergarten through 6, with 65 members on staff.

The Gotham Avenue School Community is a close-knit body of parents, teachers, students, and administrators. Their goal is to ensure each child a stable early education through an enriched curriculum that keeps the children excited, and unique programs that appeal to a wide variety of younger children. The Elmont Union Free School District is a model of excellency with over 4,000 elementary school kids, which encompass over 70 spoken languages.

The school was one of two schools in the district, and one of the total 24 chosen schools in New York State, to win the 2003 Business Council of New York State Pathfinder Award. The award is given for Outstanding Educational Improvement. The recognition and honor is truly extraordinary in light of the 2,900 New York State elementary schools eligible for the Pathfinder Award.

Principal Zucker credits Gotham Avenue's recent success to the school district's new curriculum initiative. The school is focusing more attention on teacher planning and class curriculum mapping. Teachers try to instill in every student that every one of them has the capability of being a successful learner.

Long Island students receive a better education thanks to the faculty and teachers of Gotham Avenue School and I am proud to name them school of the month for April.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day.

Our country's former prisoners of war are national heroes. Their service placed them in harm's way, causing their capture and imprisonment. They have suffered and sacrificed a great deal to ensure our freedom and national security.

These courageous Americans who suffered through often horrific and demeaning conditions in wars, including Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War and now Operation Iraqi Freedom, have my greatest appreciation and respect. I also extend my gratitude to family members of former POWs who stood by and supported their loved ones during such excruciatingly difficult times.

Today's recognition of former POWs is particularly appropriate in light of the recent rescue of Pfc. Jessica Lynch. Pfc. Lynch was captured on March 23, along with 11 other U.S. soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company. On April 2, in a dramatic military operation, she was rescued from a hospital in Iraq, and just two days ago was reunited with her family.

The heroism of Jessica Lynch and those who served our country before her signifies the high price of liberty.

As we recognize the former POWs that served our nation, I also want to offer my thoughts and sympathies to the family members of those who lost a loved one or have a loved one who is missing in action from the ongoing war in Iraq as well as past military conflicts.

On behalf of the people of the 4th Congressional District of New York, thank you to all former POWs for your brave service to America. To those who are still being held, we all pray for your safe rescue and that you come home soon.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to straighten a few things that are being said here on the floor: Number one, this has nothing to do with guns, and it does not; number two, we are not trying to shut down gun manufacturers, and we are not; number three, this is not about gun control, and it is not.

What this is basically about is trying to have, as victims, our day in court.

My colleague said that we have frivolous cases in court. Yet it is funny because we always get into the case, yet we are turned back because they say, go to the legislative branch. The legislative branch is where you should be trying to change law. That is not going to happen. This is a progun House and it is a progun Senate. Now we are basically taking away every right that victims have.

Let me say why we look at the gun manufacturers on their distribution: mainly because we do know that a lot of these illegal guns that get on the streets come from certain areas and are going through certain distributions to gun stores. Yet the legislature here passed a law that our ATF agents cannot even go and inspect a gun store except once a year, but only if they call them first.

What we hear is also, in my opinion, a reckless attempt at providing special legal protection for the gun industry. We do not do it with other manufacturers. This is different. The gun industry should be subject to the same legal standards of conduct that govern every other industry. What makes this particular industry so special, we all know that it is the lobbyists.

But let me say what we are trying to do as far as the gun manufacturers. We are asking them to make the guns safer. The technology is out there. I asked the Committee on Rules last night to have child safety locks able to be sent out with every gun that goes out on the market. It certainly would be up to the consumer whether they used that particular product on the gun or not, but we do know it would save children's lives.

An attempt to improve the bill, as I said, we see unintentional shootings commonly occur with children when they find an adult-loaded handgun in a drawer or closet, and while playing with it shoot themselves, a sibling or young friend. When reading the newspapers, one sees that this happens all too frequently. No matter how careful parents are, their child is still exposed to the potential negligence of a neighbor or relative or other adult that the child visits.

Instead of providing immunity to a particular industry because of the potential legal costs associated with a lawsuit, we should first focus on the merits of the lawsuit. Many negligent suits brought against gun manufacturers are based on the claim that the product they manufacture and sell does not take into consideration the foreseeable dangers associated with their product, for example, a child playing with a handgun.

Although I happen to agree with these claims, I believe we could limit them by ensuring the safety of a firearm if it falls into the hands of a child. There are many things our gun manufacturers could do. There are many things that have already been done against car dealers, against barbecue pits, all in the name of safety, all for the safety of our American people.

When the gun manufacturers start really taking seriously where their guns are going, when the gun manufacturers start looking at the technology that is out there to save lives, when the gun manufacturers really start listening to, hopefully, the consumers and not the NRA. And by the way, I do not think there is anybody in this Chamber, right or left, that is trying to take away the right of someone to own a gun.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Leo Toca, a highly respected and influential Vice President of JP Morgan Chase. Today he is honored by Molloy College at its annual St. Martin de Porres Minority Scholarship Dinner Dance, for being a strong community leader. As the Community Relations Program Manager for JP Morgan Chase Leo manages programs such as the Community Advisory Board, Baseball Is for Kids and In-Kind Donation Program.

Leo has initiated many programs to improve the way of life in communities. He, along with other organizations, started the first childcare load program to help home-based childcare providers. Also, he was the first loan officer at Chase to cater to under-served communities while determining which mortgage producers were best for these communities.

In his free time, Leo maintains his community activism in a wide variety of organizations. These include the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Housing Partnership, and the Urban League.

I congratulate Leo on receiving this honor and applaud him for his dedication to our community. I thank him on behalf of the people of not only the 4th Congressional District but the rest of Nassau and Suffolk County who benefited from his hard work and commitment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Edward G. Lloyd, a well-respected leader in the not-for-profit organization community. Today he is honored by Molloy College at its annual St. Martin de Porres Minority Scholarship Dinner Dance for his leadership in the non-profit community.

As the senior vice president of operations and chief financial officer of the United States Fund for UNICEF (USF), Edward is responsible for all financial accounting, human resources, and all administrative support operations for the USF. He also serves on a three-person committee charged with the strategic management of the

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of four students from the Fourth Congressional District of New York. On April 27, the students will be honored by the Jewish War Veterans East Meadow--Levittown Post No. 709 at their annual awards ceremony.

Jewish War Veterans Post No. 709 has an innovative program, Classmates Today--Neighbors Tomorrow. It encourages local high school students to become active in community service, and in return, the program enriches many generations. Classmates Today--Neighbors Tomorrow is just one example of how the Jewish War Veterans have proven their dedication to providing a variety of services to our community.

This year, Post No. 709 has recognized the outstanding community service efforts of four students from my community. Ian Dorfman, of W.T. Clarke High School, and Stephan Schwartz, of East Meadow High School, are two of the four 2003 recipients of the Jean R. Tint Memorial Brotherhood award. Brandon Weinberg, of W.T. Clarke High School, and Jayme Feldheim, of East Meadow High School, are the two 2003 recipients of the Mike Pahl Music Award.

All of these students are most deserving of this honor and recognition. Their dedication to our community is clear and consistent. I anticipate great contributions to Long Island from each student, given the high level of community service each student has conducted during their high school years. I know I will hear about their achievements in the years to come, but in the meantime, I wish Ian, Stephan, Brandon and Jayme good luck in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I have named Oceanside High School in the Oceanside School District as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for March 2003.

The principal of Oceanside High School is Dorie Ciulla, the vice- principal is Robert Ledlie and the Superintendent of Schools is Herb Brown. Oceanside High School has over 1600 students in grades 9-12 and over 140 staff members. The school philosophy is ``Know Thoroughly, Think Critically, Act Ethically.''

I chose Oceanside High School because its Participation in Government program for High School Seniors stands out among the other district high schools. Oceanside's seniors are encouraged to get involved in government by learning not only about our nation's history, but by studying our country's evolving public policy and set of laws, and the importance of community service.

Oceanside High School seniors can enroll in a variety of Participation in Government classes. Students with teacher or chairperson recommendations can enroll in Advanced Placement American Government, a college level course that features an in-depth curriculum covering the basic institutions of United States government.

Students who enroll in Community Volunteer Service get a dual curriculum, where they spend three days per week studying the issues faced by our local, state and federal government, and two class periods a week doing volunteer work in hospitals, nursing homes, elementary schools, political offices and day care centers. Completion of the course leaves students with first hand knowledge of the problems discussed in class.

Oceanside seniors have one other Participation in Government option: Public Policy and the Law. This class focuses on the political side of government, by teaching students the nature of politics, how politics relates to decision-making, and the formulation of public policy on local, state and federal levels. Students learn the process by participating in mock trials, town meetings and public hearings.

The Participation in Government classes converge to hold an annual Human Relations Day. On March 19, over 50 speakers were invited to address Oceanside students on a variety of topics, ranging from violence prevention to AIDS awareness to civil liberties to poverty on Long Island. The event provided the students with in-depth discussions of particular issues that they felt were of importance.

Human Relations Day is a unique and wonderful way for our students to be involved in current events. It shows that the classes in which the students are enrolled are truly successful in motivating the students to get involved in many public policy issues and matters of national concern.

I am proud to name Oceanside High School the school of the month for March 2003.

Mr. Speaker, in 1821, drawing inspiration from the ideals and institutions of the fledgling United States, the Greeks waged their own struggle for liberty. They declared their independence after 400 years of rule by the Ottoman Empire, therefore returning democracy to its birthplace. Today, I rise to commemorate the struggle, and later the victory, of Greek Independence.

Throughout the world, and through history, Greek influence can be seen and felt. Our ideas on philosophy, politics, architecture, and the arts, stem from the Greeks. Today, Greece is a strong ally to the United States, proving to be a valued partner in NATO as well as to the whole of Europe. This is also true of Greek-Americans. Greek-Americans are extremely important to American society today. They provide our nation with scientists, artists, politicians, and in countless other areas.

Today, as we celebrate Greek Independence Day, we are all Greek. ``Opa!''

Mr. Speaker, in October 2002, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention released a report entitled the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children, which estimate there are almost 800,000 reported cases of missing children. This equates to over 11 children per 1000 in the U.S. that are missing. Worse yet are the hundreds of thousands of missing children that are not reported. While a large number of missing children are runaways, too many are missing due to abduction. One way to decrease this number is to pass H.R. 1104, the Child Abduction Prevention Act. H.R. 1104 is better known as America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response Plan, the AMBER Alert.

Currently, the AMBER alert is a voluntary partnership between law- enforcement agencies and broadcasters to activate an urgent bulletin in case of child abduction. Almost 40 states have established AMBER alerts. Since the program began a little over six years ago, the AMBER alert has been credited with the recovery of 47 children. If the plan were implemented nationwide, with federal funding, the possibilities of recovering more children increase exponentially.

As a parent and a grandparent, I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same, our children deserve it!

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 95 because it fails to meet the challenges confronting our country. We need a balanced approached to fiscal responsibility that treats the national budget just like a household budget.

America is going through very trying times. The economy is struggling unemployment is up, consumer confidence is down and our Armed Forces are at war. H. Con. Res. 95 fails to address these concerns because it embraces an inflated and fiscally irresponsible tax cut plan totaling $1.4 trillion. These tax cuts accommodate all of President Bush's proposals, but they would not provide the stimulus we need to jumpstart our economy. However, including all of them in this budget force us to make deep cuts in heavily relied upon programs.

I cannot go home and tell my constituents that I cut after-school programs, student loans, teacher quality programs, and COPS funding to make room for inflated tax cut plan that has no immediate impact on our economy.

I also cannot go home and tell my constituents that I slashed $265 billion in mandatory spending, placed an increased burden upon cash- strapped States, reduced investments in highway construction, and only partially funded programs under the No Child Left Behind Act so we can make room for a back-loaded tax plan that crowds out important programs.

And don't forget our ongoing war in Iraq. There is not one penny in this proposal that budgets for the war or the cost of rebuilding the economy.

Some argue we can address these costs in a supplemental. However, supplementals are becoming more like 2nd budgets. If we have an idea of what something is going to cost, we should budget accordingly for it now. We should not be playing games with the numbers.

This body should pass a budget that: Puts us back in balance; provides a tax stimulus that actually stimulates; secures our Homeland; offers a sensible prescription drug proposal; and sufficiently funds our military.

Although I understand the need to make sacrifices if we want to jumpstart the economy, they shouldn't be made by passing bad policy.

That is why I supported Democratic substitute. This budget projects a balanced budget in FY 2010, but does so with $500 billion less public debt than the committee-reported resolution. Unlike the resolution, the substitute does not cut domestic discretionary spending below the level needed to keep pace with inflation and does not contain any cuts in mandatory spending. Furthermore, the substitute provides a tax stimulus proposal that stimulates now.

Another important contrast is the prescription drug provisions contained in each budget proposal. The Democratic substitute provides $528 billion in new funds over 10 years for a prescription drug benefit. The resolution, by contrast, establishes a $400 billion ``reserve fund'' for Medicare prescription drugs and Medicare modernization. Why create a reserve fund instead of budgeting for a prescription drug proposal today?

Reserve funds do not solve the problems confronting this country. We need specific budget allocations for specific problems. Generally addressing problems at a later time in a reserve fund simply dances around the issue.

I want to support a budget that actually stimulates while taking into consideration long-term budget implications. There is no room for political gamesmanship when people lose their retirement savings, or their jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I want to stand by the words of my colleague from California. There are many of us here, especially among the New Democrats, that did vote for the tax cuts going back almost 18 months ago. I come from New York. In New York, we love tax cuts, mainly because we pay so many taxes on the island. But I have some real problems with the budget that we are looking at.

We are supposed to debate this tomorrow, and I hope that we do, but I understand that many of my colleagues on the Republican side are having a real problem with the budget that they saw, and I hope they stand together, because we as a Nation are going through some very, very tough times. America, as I said, is going through some very trying times. The economy is struggling, unemployment unfortunately is up, consumer confidence is down, and our Armed Forces are gearing up to go to war.

Tomorrow possibly, if they can come to an agreement, this body will debate an overall budget for this country that hopefully will address all of these concerns. And I hope it is a good debate. I hope they allow us at least to even put our budget forward. That is what this great place is about, the debates. Then we have the vote. We either win or we lose. But unfortunately around here lately, we are not even allowed to put a substitute up. I am always hopeful.

The two proposals that I have seen, one from the administration and the other from the House Budget Committee, do not come close to addressing our concerns. I am going to have a very hard time going home and telling my constituents that I might be cutting after-school programs, student loans, teacher quality programs, COPS funding.

COPS funding. That should be part of our homeland security. I know in New York City, they are spending an extra $5 million a week. COPS programs, that is helping my community work with my schoolchildren to make sure that the areas are safe, and to get the kids to know them so that they have someone to go to when they need it.

A highway fund. We all know that when we put money into the highways, those are jobs, not only making our infrastructure better, but also it helps the mom-and-pop stores because our construction workers have to eat. Our construction workers, by the way, pay our school bills.

But I have to say, when you try to make room for a back-loaded tax cut plan proposed by the administration that provides a very, very minimal stimulus, I think we have a problem. I cannot go home and tell my constituents that I slashed funding for our veterans. We are on the brink of going to war. We have young men and women overseas getting ready to protect this country, and we are showing our older veterans the compassion by cutting their funding for health care. There is something very, very wrong with that.

I spent my life as a nurse before I came here. I know firsthand that our hospitals across this Nation are struggling to keep their doors open. Yet in the Republican budget we see more slashes for Medicare and Medicaid. There is something very, very wrong with that.

I am one of these people that do not believe in kicking someone when they are down. If this budget passes tomorrow or Friday, we are going to be hurting an awful lot of people.

Again, are we going to have a decent prescription drug plan? Out on Long Island, I have my seniors that cannot even afford to be able to buy their medications. That is wrong. No one should have to go without their medications. I look at things holistically. If you are not giving medications to the patient, they are going to end up in the hospital, and it is going to end up costing more money. Yet in the wisdom of my colleagues on the other side of the floor, they want to cut Medicare reimbursements, they want to make our hospitals have to even cut back more, which means, by the way, they are not going to be able to hire nurses to take care of the patients.

We have to look at things, in my opinion, on how we would run our house. We all have to make sacrifices. We all have mortgages. We all have bills to be paid. We sit down and we look to see what has to be done. But this budget, the Republican budget that is coming out tomorrow, is totally unacceptable.

I think the shame of it is that we are making these cuts so we can make room for a $1.4 trillion tax cut. I do not know. I think the American people, if anybody is watching, would kind of sit around and say, wait a minute. My mother, maybe my grandmother, maybe she needs to go to a nursing home. She needs her prescription drugs. Those are going to be slashed? I do not know. That is not the way you cut a budget.

Then we have the war. We all know most likely that we will be going soon, but there is not one penny in either proposal of the budgets that I have seen for the war or even the cost of rebuilding the economy. Some argue we can address these costs in a supplemental. I understand supplementals. However, these supplementals are becoming like second budgets. If we have any kind of an idea of what something is going to cost, we should budget for it, and we should budget for it now.

I know we are going to go into some debt because of the war, and that to me is good debt. It is good debt mainly because we are protecting this Nation, and we are going to be protecting other nations so that they can have democracy and freedom and freedom from terrorism. We have to look to see what our priorities are.

This body, and I happen to think the Democratic budget substitute is the one that we should be looking at, it puts us back in balance, and that is what we all want. It provides a stimulus package that actually will stimulate the economy. We should have been doing this in January. We should have been stimulating the economy so that we would not have unemployment going up and up and up.

Homeland security. I talk to my schools, I talk to my firemen, I talk to our police officers, I talk to my county executive. They are trying to put plans together, but there is no money there. Most of our States, as I have mentioned before, are already in debt, so they cannot even spend the money. My county is in debt, and we have worked very hard to try and get out of debt, but unfortunately sales are down, so tax revenues coming in are not there.

The Democratic plan also offers a sensible prescription drug proposal.

The other thing is we are going to make sure that the funds are there for our military. This can be achieved by providing a stimulus that is reasonable and targeted to the people who need it the most.

The American people are looking to Congress to pass sensible policies that not only encourage investment, but also increase goods and services. Again, we have to be able to do a number of things here. We have to make sure that we are there to protect our armed services, but we also have to make sure that the country is economically sound. The Democratic proposal can do that. The Republican budget will not.

Unfortunately, the choices before this body suggest policies that do more harm than good. For example, half of the costs associated with President Bush's tax cut involve an elimination of the tax on dividends. To be honest with you, I do not have a problem with that. In better times, I probably would vote for it. I happen to think that in the long term it might be good for this country. It is not good right now. It is not the best bang that we can get for our dollar. I am hoping that we might be able to take this out and address it next year when things are better. This particular provision should be included in a long-term tax reform bill, as I had said. We should debate this at a later time when we can afford it.

A true stimulus plan provides immediate capital to assist an ailing economy. I believe that eliminating the tax on dividends does not provide us with the bang for the buck as we need it, as I said before. And though I understand the need to make sacrifices, and I know the American people understand what sacrifices are, if we want to jump- start the economy, it should not be done by passing bad policy. I want to support a budget that actually stimulates while taking into consideration long-term budget implications. There is no room for political gamesmanship when people lose their retirement savings or their jobs.

Again, I am just going to say, what I saw on the Republican budget, large cuts to education. It cuts my veterans' benefits and health care. My hospital on Long Island for my veterans can barely keep its doors open now. It fails to protect the environment. It fails to make the adequate investment in health care.

I know that we have tough decisions to make, but again, the Democratic plan covers all these issues, makes them fair, and certainly brings hopefully a little bit of sunshine down the road when we can go back into a balanced budget.

I hope the American people get involved in this debate. I hope that they call their Representatives, because the pain that we are going to be feeling not just from the war, but from the cuts on educating our children, taking care of those in the hospital, taking care of those at home, taking care of our seniors, that is not where we should be making cuts.