Senator Harkin Responds To Bush's Backward-Thinking Budget Proposal

February 4, 2008 -- Last week Bush wanted to give Americans $600 rebate checks, this week he slashes investments to our economy and asks Americans to ante up $1,000 in interest on his national deficit

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today discussed the impact President Bush’s budget proposal would have on Iowans and Americans. Harkin leads the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry committee as well as the appropriations subcommittee that funds health and education initiatives - both jurisdictions received major cuts in Bush’s budget.

“It is clear that Iowans and Americans are desperate for a new direction for our country. Regrettably, President Bush’s budget proposal is more of the same, pushing our country backward as he has for the past seven years,” said Harkin. “He proposes deep cuts to programs that Americans rely upon, programs that protect our seniors, educate our kids and strengthen communities of every size. While slashing programs for low and middle income families, the President insists on extending his tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans. ”

“As a result of these misguided priorities, the President’s budget will increase our national debt by another $400 billion in 2008 and again in 2009. The President’s proposal would increase our nation’s debt by more than $1 billion a day – over $45 million an hour. Every man, woman and child will have to pay $1,000 a year in interest – almost double the $600 rebate check the President proposes giving Americans.”

“My fellow Democrats and I will not allow these misguided priorities to drive our spending over the next year. We will insist on a budget that invests in workers and our economy, protects our environment, and expands access to healthcare.”

On the Economy:

“While the nation’s families struggle to make ends meet in the face of an uncertain economy, the President chooses to cut job training and employment assistance programs for workers that strengthen the foundation for long-term economic growth,” said Harkin

The Bush budget cuts Training and Employment Services account programs by almost 14 percent, or $484 million. In addition, the budget eliminates $703 million currently available for State grants for Employment Service, which supports a public network that helps job seekers find and secure work through job search assistance and information services. This network serves more than 13 million individuals each year and would be destroyed under this proposal.

On Iraq:

“At the same time the President continues to insist on keeping our troops mired in Iraq’s civil war, his budget again fails to account for the full cost of that effort. We are currently spending almost $10 billion a month – almost $14 million per hour – in Iraq, despite numerous independent experts who agree this war is not making our country any safer. President Bush has a responsibility to be straight with the American people on the budget costs of the war in Iraq,” said Harkin.

On Healthcare:

“The President should be embarrassed to suggest cutting the Medicare program by $178 billion over the next five years and slashing $30 billion from the Medicaid program that provides healthcare to our most vulnerable Americans,” said Harkin. “These cuts would have a devastating impact on our healthcare system – requiring hospitals to shut their doors and making it harder for patients to access a doctor or other healthcare professional.”

On Heating Assistance:

“At a time when heating costs are skyrocketing, I have no idea why the President believes cutting $570 million from the Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a good idea. Iowans depend on this assistance during our blisteringly cold winter months,” said Harkin.

On Agriculture:

“The Bush budget once again short changes key initiatives covering our nation’s food and agriculture system and our rural communities. As more acres are put into more intensive crop production, farmers critically need more financial incentives to help conserve soil, water and other resources. But instead of the new investment that’s so badly needed, the Bush budget would actually take away more than 20 percent of the funding that is already committed to support conservation on working land,” said Harkin.

“Bush’s budget would scale back funding for food and agriculture research by 15 percent, despite the pressing need for new scientific breakthroughs in farm-based energy, biotechnology, food safety and agricultural productivity,” said Harkin. “The Bush budget again proposes slashing our investment in rural communities – cutting drinking water, wastewater, housing and community facility assistance to rural small businesses that communities need to grow their economies, create jobs and enhance their quality of life. Fortunately, the budget does call for a modest increase in funding for protecting our food supply against invasive pests and other threats. Overall, the budget badly neglects the critical needs of the nation across USDA’s responsibilities.”

On Education:

“While the President pushes Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, he proposes underfunding the current law by $14.7 billion for a cumulative shortfall of $85.6 billion since its enactment,” said Harkin. “Not only is this a strange contradiction, I find it incredibly disappointing for this Administration to once again turn its back on the nation’s kids and their potential.”

On Law Enforcement & Victim Services:

“Bush’s budget includes a more than 60 percent cut to state and local law enforcement programs. Iowa is already reeling from funding cuts to law enforcement programs, which I am currently fighting to restore in the current year’s budget,” said Harkin. “The President’s budget also proposes eliminating resources for victims of domestic violence, including legal assistance, safe havens for children and help for victims with disabilities.”

Source: Senator Tom Harkin