Washington, D.C. – Dean of the United States House of Representatives, John D. Dingell (D-MI15) issued the following statement on the House floor today opposing  H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1 and urge my colleagues to vote against this outlandish massacre of federal programs.  Cuts of this magnitude would sharply destabilize core government functions and would stifle economic growth and job creation.  

“All Members of Congress can agree that we must confront our budget and deficit.  Republicans claim this CR will put our Nation on a ‘sustainable financial path.’  Ha!  Just as the economy and job growth are beginning to pick up, funding cuts of this magnitude would disrupt even the subtle progress we are seeing.  Slamming on the brakes so quickly would halt the advancements we have made over the past two years and would actually increase the deficit by slowing economic growth.

“It is clear that Republicans do not care about the devastating impact these cuts will have on the well-being of our Nation.  According to Speaker Boehner, “So be it” if jobs are lost as a result of the abomination before us today.  Well, Mr. Speaker, it will be so ― in fact, the Economic Policy Institute estimates 800,000 jobs will be lost, and jobs are not the only national priority on the chopping block.  Let’s take a look at what else Republicans are dismissive about:  

“The education of our children ― the CR will eliminate or reduce aid for almost 1.5 million low- and middle-income students paying for college.

“The safety of our food ― these cuts will hamstring the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to implement critical food safety legislation, leaving us vulnerable to food-related illness and death.

“Americans’ health ― the CR cuts billions from the Department of Health and Human Services, over a billion from the National Institute of Health and over a billion from Community Health Centers.

“The welfare of homeless veterans ― even housing vouchers for homeless defenders of our country are eliminated.  This is disgraceful and a dishonor to those who have served!

“Job training ― the CR cuts billions from job training for displaced workers, turning our backs to those hit hardest by the recession.

“U.S. exports ― even though both Republicans and Democrats have called for a reduction in the U.S. trade deficit, the CR severely cuts into our primary export promotion effort.

“Security on our streets ― millions will be cut from funding for state and local policing activities to fight drugs, gangs, and terrorism.  Moreover, the CR eliminates federal grants that help police departments around the country hire or re-hire police officers.

“Critical conservation programs ― the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act – all of which are solid, bipartisan programs – would either be completely or effectively gutted.  In addition, this legislation prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from taking important steps to protect the waters of our Nation.

“Mr. Speaker, with unemployment hovering around nine percent nationally and much higher in my own state, and many Americans still struggling through this recession, we cannot pull the rug out from under them.  Politics aside, cuts of this magnitude would be unhealthy, untimely, and provide uncertainty for our Nation as we try to get back on our feet. 

“Instead of such draconian cuts, I believe that with wise and targeted federal investments combined with precise and rational spending cuts, we not only can continue to enhance our economic recovery and global competitiveness, but also begin to considerably pay down our unsustainable federal debt.  As the President said, we can out-educate, out-innovate and out-build our competitors.  But this can only be done with a more targeted approach.

“Contrary to H.R. 1, we need to balance investments that will help our economy recover, while also committing to decreasing the federal deficit.  It is clear that neither of these goals can be achieved overnight.    I stand ready to work with my colleagues and the President to find responsible and effective ways to trim the budget, but I refuse to permit my Republican colleagues to gut vital government programs and bring our economic recovery to a standstill.

“Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this political stunt.”

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