Senator Boxer: "President Bush's Last Budget Proposal Cements His Legacy Of Misplaced Priorities"

President proposes outrageous cuts to homeland security grants, assistance to firefighters, food banks, and community development block grants

February 4, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today expressed disappointment that President Bush’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal continues seven years of misplaced priorities that have put our nation’s future in jeopardy.

Boxer said, “For more than seven years, the President has ignored the needs of the American people and short-changed education, homeland security, life-saving medical research, flood control, the environment, and local law enforcement. The President’s cruel and unwise budget cuts endanger our nation’s future and must be reversed. At least we can be thankful that this is the last time President Bush will get to send Congress a budget.”

The following are some of the most notable budget cuts proposed by the President:

HOMELAND SECURITY

The President proposes slashing funding for key Homeland Security grants including the State Homeland Security Grants program, which was cut by $750 million; Port Security grants, which were cut by $225 million; and Rail and Public Transport Security grants, which were cut by $190 million. The President’s budget also did not include direct funding for states to implement the REAL ID program.

Boxer said, “Instead of scaring the American people, we need to protect them with funding for homeland security grants, port security and rail security.”

ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANTS

The President again proposes makes huge cuts to the Assistance to Firefighters program, which provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and Emergency Medical Services organizations to help address equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. The President’s budget proposes cutting the grant funding by more than 50 percent from what Congress appropriated in FY08 to just $300 million in FY09.

Boxer said, “When our firefighters are out there on the front lines working to protect our communities, you don’t slash funding for their equipment and training.”

FOOD BANKS

At a time when our nation’s food banks are operating at an unprecedented shortage, the President proposes eliminating funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a critical resource dedicated to providing low-income seniors with nutrition. This program was funded at $139 million in FY08, and provides monthly food supplies to over 600,000 eligible California senior citizens.

Boxer said, “When Americans are struggling to afford high gas prices, healthcare, and other essential needs, you don’t cut funding for food banks that help ensure our low-income seniors don’t starve.”

AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS

Not only does the President propose slashing funding for the 21 Century Community Learning Centers program by $281 million, but he also proposes that the program be converted into a scholarship fund to send low-income students to afterschool and summer school programs of their choice, including those administered by faith based organizations. By restructuring the program in this manner, it is estimated that between 635,000 and 1.1 million students could lose the valuable afterschool services that 21st CCLC provides.

Boxer said, “When gang violence is shaking our communities and millions of children need a safe place to go after school, you don’t slash funding for this successful and proven program.

FLOOD CONTROL

The President proposes $387 million for flood control projects specifically authorized by Congress, a cut of more than one-third from the FY2008 funding level.

Boxer said, “When we know the devastating lessons of Hurricane Katrina, you don’t slash funding for critical flood control projects and leave our communities in danger.”

COPS

For FY2008, the COPS program was funded at $587 million. For FY2009, the President proposes combining the COPS program and the Weed and Seed program into one program called the Byrne Public Safety and Protection Program. The President proposes funding this program FY2008 at just $200 million.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS

While the President recognized the need for increased housing counseling assistance, he once again proposes cutting the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), which helps support local housing, neighborhood revitalization, public services, and the infrastructure needs of California’s cities and local communities. Under the President’s budget, CDBG funding is being reduced by $900 million, a nearly 25 percent decrease, down to $3 billion.

Boxer said, “When our nation is reeling from the foreclosure crisis, you don’t cut funding for a program that helps our communities purchase, rehabilitate, resell, and demolish foreclosed homes.”

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

The President’s budget freezes funding for the NIH at $29.3 billion. At this funding level, the projected success rate for research grant applications will fall to the lowest level (18 percent) since at least 1970. The budget would also eliminate the National Children’s Study, which examines the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of more than 100,000 children across the United States

Boxer said, “When millions of Americans are suffering and dying from heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and so many other illnesses, you don’t shortchange the NIH and their critical research.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

President Bush has once again slashed EPA’s budget, which was cut by $330 million. The cuts include over $270 million dollars from programs that would clean up and restore the nation’s lakes, rivers and streams; the elimination of a nearly $5 million program to restore the San Francisco Bay; cuts to air pollution programs, including chopping over $31 million dollars for grants to States and the elimination of a $10 million dollar program that would help clean up the air in some of California’s most polluted communities; and even the elimination of a new national registry to track global warming pollution.

Boxer said, “The EPA’s job is to protect the health of our families, but with this budget the President is once again sending a clear message that cleaning up our environment is not a priority for the Bush Administration.”

SCAAP

The President’s budget again zeroes out funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), a formula grant program that helps states and localities pay for incarcerating undocumented criminals. Congress has always restored the funding, as they did by adding in $400 million in FY08.

Boxer said, “When our State’s our already struggling under the burden of incarcerating undocumented criminals, you don’t slash SCAAP funding.”

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREPAREDNESS (CDC)

The President proposes cutting CDC programs by $476 million from FY2008 funding levels. These cuts will eliminate the Pioneering Healthier Communities program, eliminate funding for the Preventive Health Block Grants, and reduce funding for Chronic Disease and Health Promotion by $29 million.

URBAN INDIAN HEALTH PROGRAM

The President’s budget again proposes eliminating funding for the Urban Indian Health Program (UIHP). The elimination of this program will leave 430,000 eligible Indian users in 41 cities, including 9 cities in California, without direct access to health care. Last year, Senator Boxer led a bipartisan group of Senators in an effort to restore funding for UIHPs to the authorized level of $32.7 million dollars.

CONSERVATION

The Administration proposes decreases and flat funding for a number of important farmland conservation programs. Sixty-eight percent of farmers in California seeking to participate in conservation programs get turned away by USDA every year. By flat funding the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), cutting the Wetlands Reserve Program by 60 percent, and eliminating the Grasslands Preserve Program, it will only become harder for our farmers to protect and preserve their farmland resources.

JOBCORPS AND EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS

With California’s unemployment rate now at 6.1 percent, its highest level since 2004, the President has proposed misguided cuts to employment and job training programs like JobCorps and the Community Services Employment for Older Americans program. These programs are targeted to help disadvantaged youth and low-income seniors. The budget also cuts $703 million from State grants for Employment Service, which helps more than 13 million job seekers find and secure work through job search assistance and information services.

Source: Senator Barbara Boxer

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