Larson: A Budget That Has The Courage to Ask All to Sacrifice, so we May All Succeed

Remarks on the GOP budget on floor of the House of Representatives

WASHINGTON – Last night Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) spoke out against the plan by House Republicans to cut $34 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (otherwise known as food stamps) as part of their recently-passed budget that makes devastating cuts to social services while ending Medicare as we know it. Below is a video and transcript of the full remarks of the Congressman's Speech.

(To watch the video, click here.)

Rep. Larson: I thank the gentlelady from Connecticut and the dean of our delegation -- the deaness, I guess I should say -- for her tireless work and advocacy on the part of not only the citizens of the 3rd Congressional District in Connecticut, but across this great nation and I daresay this globe. I never cease to be amazed by the eloquence of our Members. So many of them coming forward and speaking their minds and speaking from their heart about the people that we're sworn to serve and represent.

This week in Congress we face again legislation, rather ironically, where we're deeming--deeming--a budget passed. Almost as though we would deem that the hungry be fed. Franklin Roosevelt, in another time, recognized the great sacrifice that a great nation had to endure and President Obama this past January called upon the shared sacrifice that is required amongst a nation. A nation that needs to pull together in a very difficult, recessionary time. And in this time, it's a time that you have to make choices. And those choices have to be based on your values. And have to be based, as the President said, on sacrifice. Roosevelt called for the warm courage of national security that comes from a shared sacrifice.

46 million people receive assistance, primarily women and children, who get fed and nourished. We're going to have a debate on a budget that strikes at the core of this at a time when we would give tax breaks of $47 billion dollars while we're taking away from the neediest amongst us. Roosevelt said the problem with our colleagues on the other side is they can become frozen in the ice of their indifference towards their fellow citizens. Everyday Americans searching and struggling in this recessionary period.

And what do we get in return? We get Romneycare? We get tax breaks for Bain Capital? We get tax breaks that are coming to the nation's wealthiest one percent at a time where we ask the middle class who is struggling to pay for it? We're out here today talking about a very important program that provides nutrition to the least amongst us, and we're calling for cuts that are not only going to take from them, but are going to take from students that are trying to be able to pay off their educational loans?

This has got to stop. We're a better country than this. I commend the gentlelady from Connecticut for bringing this to our attention and focusing on the needs of a great nation, that in a time of budgetary concerns has to choose the appropriate values for the country, who has to make the appropriate choices we all agree in the need to sacrifice. But it has to be shared, and shouldn't be balanced on the backs of the middle class and the poorest amongst us. I thank the gentlelady from Connecticut for her leadership.

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