FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 05, 2004

CONTACT: Stacey Farnen 202-225-3130

HOYER ON PRESIDENT BUSH’S BUDGET CUTS

New Analysis Shows that Cuts to Important Programs are Bigger than Reported

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today in response to a new Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report that shows that President Bush’s Fiscal Year 2005 Budget contains larger cuts in domestic spending than has been previously reported:

“Everyday it becomes clearer that the Bush Administration is not being straightforward with the American people in its 2005 Budget.  First it was fudging the exploding deficit problem by failing to address the middle-class tax time bomb [AMT] and then it was failing to include costs for continuing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Now it turns out that the Bush White House neglected to include information on the severity of cuts to domestic programs in the budget books issued earlier this week.  But if an American citizen is really tenacious and turns to OMB’s 1,000 page computer run, they will find the reality of the Bush budget.

“It turns out that important domestic programs, programs that the Bush White House itself claims are worthy enough to receive increases in funding under its austere budget, would be cut after 2005.  These include education funding, the food program for pregnant woman (WIC), and the National Institute of Health.

“These cuts are in the name of trimming the federal deficit of course.  But again, the Bush White House is not straightforward with the American people – even completely eliminating these programs would not put a real dent in our deficits.  These programs make up only one-sixth of the budget.  Extending the tax cuts and increased defense spending are the real culprits.

“It is time for the Administration to be straightforward with the American people about the choices they are making on their behalf – painful cuts in important and popular domestic programs in return for virtually no reduction in the deficits.”

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