Against my strong objections, last week the House passed the Republican budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2012.  Republicans will tell you that they are serious about the budget deficit, but the Ryan budget tells another story altogether.

This draconian budget crafted by Representative Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, cuts more than $5 trillions in spending over 10 years while at the same time cutting taxes for the wealthiest 2% of all Americans by $4 trillion.  The Ryan GOP budget freezes discretionary spending at recklessly low levels, yet barely touches the defense budget. The GOP budget turns Medicare into a private voucher program – reducing seniors’ benefits by half and doubling their out-of-pocket costs to $6,400 annually – which will inevitably limit patient choice. The Ryan budget also turns Medicaid into a block grant program, leaving little protection for beneficiaries and potentially leaves some 15 million people without coverage.

This irresponsible and reckless budget will not stand on my watch.

With the House Republican budget, we have seen the true face of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives. More sacrifice for the middle-class while lower taxes for the wealthiest few is the crux of the House GOP plan. And for House Republicans, this isn’t really about the budget deficit. This is simply the House Republicans using the deficit as an excuse to push their radical domestic agenda of privatizing Medicare, ending Medicaid, and extending and expanding the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of all Americans.

Be sure, I will not stand by and let this happen.

I will fight every day to protect our seniors, those most in need and our middle-class. I will fight to end tax-cuts for millionaires and you can be sure, I am very serious about our deficit. This is why I fought for the Democratic alternative budget, which would have protected Medicare and Medicaid, and would have balanced the budget by 2018 by focusing on reducing all spending, including defense.

Time and time again, the Republicans have displayed their willingness to sacrifice middle-class well-being for the benefit of the few.  I have one question for my Republican colleagues — when seniors’ health benefits are no longer guaranteed and they cannot afford the care they need, do you expect millionaires to lend a helping hand?