Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, scores of Americans continue to lose their jobs each day, the deficit climbs to new and unprecedented heights, states and local communities struggle to find the resources to protect their communities from potential terrorist threats, and we have only made a down payment on the expenses of the war on terrorism.
These are not circumstances which cry out for a half-trillion dollar tax cut. Far from it--they call for prudence, for fiscal responsibility, and for an acknowledgement that the government cannot denude itself of the ability to defend itself by increasing spending and cutting taxes with no end in sight.
I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose this fiscally irresponsible tax plan that will only saddle future generations with enormous debt and put us on a path of almost permanent deficits.
Over the last 2 years, a staggering 2.7 million private sector jobs have been lost and the number of people unemployed for 6 months or longer has tripled. My Democratic colleagues have responded to this crisis by delivering a job creation plan to jumpstart our economy and put Americans back to work. By putting money directly in the pockets of those who need it most and those most likely to spend it, the Democratic plan will get our economy moving again.
The House leadership plan, on the other hand, ignores the desires and demands of Americans. By making room for a dividend tax cut proposal and tax cuts for the wealthy, the House leadership has indicated a willingness to sacrifice funding for important domestic priorities such as education, health care, and a significant Medicare prescription drug benefit.
We must work harder, we must do better, to ensure that budget decisions are made in a balanced and thoughtful way that maintains fiscal discipline, continues to pay down our debt, and supports priorities like Social Security and Medicare.
In years past, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have touted the virtues of fiscal responsibility. I urge them to return to that position by joining us in embracing a fiscally responsible approach to stimulating our economy and providing relief and investment for all Americans.