The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SEQUESTRATION AND THE BUDGET” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H2308-H2309 on April 25, 2013.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SEQUESTRATION AND THE BUDGET
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for 5 minutes.
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the impacts that sequestration is having on our country. Although I did not support the decisions that led to sequestration, I remain committed to protecting the American people from the most harmful and potentially dangerous outcomes related to sequestration.
Sequestration simply means budget cuts, extraordinary budget cuts. Every moment we spend here in Washington should be spent working to improve the lives and opportunities for the American people. To that end, we should be focused on legislation to avert sequestration and improve our economy.
As our minority whip said here this morning, we've passed a budget off the floor of the House. It's the Ryan budget, and it protects sequestration. It wants all of the cuts to take place. On the Senate side, they've passed a budget that does away with the onerous sequestration budget cuts. Now we need a conference committee, simply meaning, we need both sides to come together and resolve their differences and move on with having a budget for this country. But the Republicans are saying ``no.''
And as it was mentioned by our minority whip, we're here in Washington, D.C., fiddling while Rome burns. We're not taking care of any real business. They will not bring a conference committee together to resolve these differences.
The simplest way to describe the sequester is to say that this was an avoidable, self-inflicted wound. A vocal Republican opposition over the budget led to an agreement, which ultimately resulted in this sequestration decision.
Republican leadership has failed to bring to the floor this week measures to build our economy. We should be focused on salient measures designed to grow our economy and create jobs.
Republican leadership has also failed to fully address the issues arising from sequestration; although, it is clear that these cuts are arbitrary, indiscriminate, and far too blunt.
The American people may be aware of the obvious impacts of sequestration, such as the closing of national parks and the elimination of tours at the White House; however, Americans might not be aware of how sequestration can impact important parts of their lives and this economy.
Let's take air travel. Some of you have heard about what is going on in our airports. Imagine that you're trying to get to the airport to catch a flight to attend your daughter's wedding or graduation or to see about a sick relative, or you're a business traveler trying to meet a potential client for the first time. Well, sequestration could soon impact all of your travel plans.
Due to sequestration, the Federal Aviation Administration addressed the shortage in their funding by furloughing 47,200 employees and are expected to close certain airports. As a result, we're witnessing airplanes remaining on the tarmac for hours. The traveling public is expecting flight delays and cancellations at airports all across the country. The impact of sequestration is being felt by the thousands of travelers who utilize our airways every day. And, ladies and gentlemen, it's going to get worse.
Along with flight delays, airline travelers can expect increased wait times in airport security lines because the Transportation Security Administration has also had to furlough screening agents in response to sequestration.
I represent Los Angeles International Airport, which is the sixth busiest airport in the world and the third busiest airport in the United States. I understand the impact that flight delays will have, not only on those traveling for leisure, but also on the airline industry and business travelers.
These furloughs are problematic for airports of any size. The importance of the air traffic controllers at LAX and across the country cannot be understated. God forbid that there should be an accident that could have been averted. No explanation could possibly make amends for the resulting loss of life. This is simply unacceptable.
Ladies and gentlemen, I could talk about a lot more, national security, housing, health care, all of that, but the fact of the matter is this is unnecessary. I'm absolutely disappointed. I want this Congress to get on with the business of getting a budget and representing the people that sent them here to represent them.
national security
Last week, we were all horrified to watch the bombings at the 117th Boston Marathon. We all applauded the valiant and successful efforts of law enforcement. Even so, the intelligence community who diligently worked with local law enforcement to ultimately capture a bombing suspect is not immune from the impacts of sequestration.
As a direct result of sequestration the National Intelligence Community could receive 4 billion dollars in cuts. Consider a recent statement from National Intelligence Director James Clapper. He stated
``sequestration forces the intelligence community to decrease all intelligence actions and functions without regard to the impact on our mission. It is my judgment, as our nation's senior intelligence officer, that sequestration jeopardizes our nation's safety and security, and this jeopardy will increase over time.''
We all watched on television as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Hostage Rescue Team bravely apprehended the surviving Boston bombing suspect. It is at these moments the American public can witness the training and skill of FBI agents. Yet, even the FBI is not protected from sequestration.
Last month, FBI Director Robert Muller estimated that sequestration would decrease the FBI's budget by $550 million for this fiscal year. As 60 percent of the FBI's budget pays for personnel, Director Muller anticipates that he will have to plan for the possibility of furloughs in the FBI.
According to Director Muller ``any furlough would pose a risk to FBI operations particularly in the areas of counter terrorism and cyber.''
I believe the American people understand the importance of protecting our national security, especially at a time when our nation faces threats both foreign and domestic. But again, due to sequestration the FBI and other members of the national intelligence community who play a vital role in protecting our nation may be given shorter hours or furloughed. These are the sort of insidious impacts that unfortunately, may not get anyone's attention until something tragic happens. There are real life consequences if the sequester is not lifted.
Public Health
The effect on public health could be equally devastating. Sequestration could cut $3.7 billion from funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. A myriad of programs will be negatively impacted by these cuts. For example, cuts to Community Health Centers could leave one million low-income and uninsured patients without basic health services.
If we do not act to end the effects of sequestration, there could be 45,000 fewer breast and cervical cancer screenings for low-income women. Further, nearly 485,000 seniors could lose access to disease prevention programs.
Even the gains we have made in HIV/AIDS awareness, screening, and care may also be hampered by sequestration. The anticipated cuts to HIV screening could result in 424,000 fewer HIV tests. Further, cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program could leave 7,400 HIV/AIDS patients in need of treatment without life-saving AIDS medications. Finally, the National Institutes of Health would be cut by $1.6 billion. That's $1.6 billion less money available for cutting-edge research by scientists seeking cures for diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. These are only a handful of the unintended consequences of blind sequestration required cuts.
housing
When it comes to housing--according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, these cuts come at a time when the number of low-
income families in need of housing assistance has been rising substantially. Currently, there are long waiting lists for vouchers in almost every community, and homelessness remains a persistent problem.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that about 125,000 individuals and families, including elderly and disabled individuals, may lose assistance and be at risk of becoming homeless. These effects, while not immediate, would be devastating to the millions of low- income families who depend on these federal programs for shelter, a basic life necessity.
Sequestration cuts would also result in more than 100,000 formerly homeless people, including veterans, being removed from their current housing or emergency shelter programs, putting them at substantial risk of becoming homeless.
wic and head start
The sequester could also have a negative impact on federally funded programs that provide services to women and children. Essential programs like Head Start and Early Head Start may have to turn away up to 70,000 children and families. These families rely on their services for quality childcare and parenting education initiatives.
Even Women, Infants and Children, WIC, that provides nutritious food, counseling on healthy eating, and health care referrals to low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children under age 5 who are at nutritional risk faces cut. Secretary Tom Vilsack at the U.S. Department of Agricultures warned back in February that as a result of the sequester WIC will only be able to provide services for 600,000 of the 9 million low-income families currently served.
conclusion
Mr. Speaker, sequestration has already taken a toll on families, businesses, and communities across the country. At a time when we are working to rebuild our economy, sequestration will cost American workers millions of dollars in lost wages and businesses billions of dollars in lost revenue.
Sequestration will have impacts that we might not consider here today. It will impact our national security efforts. It will impact our air travel and it will even impact the food we eat. We must work to avert these thoughtless cuts.
It is time for Republicans to stop refusing to move forward in our work to pass a budget that reflects our nation's values. It is time to do the right thing for the American people and lift the sequester.
____________________
