mr. speaker , i rise in strong opposition to the newer , but not better , labor-hhs-education appropriations conference report .  less than a month ago , the members of this house rightfully defeated the previous version of this conference bill .  unfortunately , the republican majority did not get the message that americans do not want congress to cut $ 1.5 billion in critical programs .  like their previous bill , the republicans continue their assault on health care programs .  even with nearly 46 million uninsured americans , 800 , 000 of whom were added last year alone , the republicans provide virtually no funding for new community health centers beyond those approved last year .  they also propose cutting grants for immunizing children , responding to disease outbreaks and improving care for people with chronic diseases .  unbelievably , the republicans did not stop there .  just one year after failing to have enough flu vaccine available and with the impending pandemic of avian flu , this bill cuts $ 100 million of funding for flu preparedness .  also , just one day after president bush acknowledged that the current medicare prescription drug benefit was confusing , this bill ensures that help will be even more difficult to come by .  it cuts by $ 60 million the funding used to pay for helping seniors ' choosing their new medicare prescription drug benefit .  cuts were not limited to health care programs .  this bill also cuts no child left behind funding , education technology programs and special education programs .  the education for the disadvantaged program receives the smallest increase it has ever received in 8 years , negatively affecting 3.1 million low-income children .  it is no wonder republicans pushed so hard to privatize social security earlier this year .  with the poorly educated workforce the republicans are surely creating , there may be too few highly-trained workers to pay into social security to take care of my republican colleagues and me in our retirement .  beyond education , this bill will literally leave people out in the cold .  consumers are expected to pay 44 percent more for natural gas and 24 percent more for home heating oil this winter , yet republicans failed to increase funding for programs that provide home heating assistance for low-income seniors and children .  there are , regrettably , many more worthwhile programs the republicans have targeted .  programs to train workers for high skill , high paying jobs are cut $ 125 million ; job search assistance is cut $ 89 million ; state unemployment insurance and employment service offices are cut $ 245 million eliminating help for 1.9 million people .  the international labor affairs bureau , tasked with protecting american workers from being undercut by child and slave labor abroad , is being cut $ 20 million .  based on the republican efforts to cut employment services , you 'd never know this administration has overseen the lowest rate of job growth since herbert hoover .  america can do better than a bill that cuts education , health care and labor programs especially while republicans work to propose tax breaks for the wealthiest among us .  this bill clearly shows the misguided priorities of the republican majority .  i urge my colleagues to join me in voting `` no '' on this harmful and dishonorable bill .  