In the State of the Union address to the nation, the President clearly stated, ‘Our government has a responsibility to help provide health care for the poor and the elderly.’  Contrary to this statement, the proposed budget calls for $105 billion in cuts to Medicare over the next ten years and $13.5 billion in cuts to Medicaid – the healthcare program for the poor, disabled, and elderly.  Unbelievably, these Medicare cuts come just five weeks after Medicare Part D, a voluntary prescription drug plan intended to provide coverage to 42 million elderly and disabled Americans, went into effect and was ripe with problems, leaving thousands of people throughout the nation without promised prescription drug coverage from the federal government.  

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina, recognition of true American heroes emerged – America’s police officers and firefighters.  Tragic events on American soil have made it abundantly clear that our first responders are now on the front lines of protecting our homeland.  Unfortunately, the proposed Fiscal Year 2007 budget terminates the Local Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention program, lessens the Firefighter Assistance program by nearly half, and cuts funding for Homeland Security Grants and the Urban Area Security Initiative by 35 percent.  These drastic funding cuts will leave our first responders without the resources they so desperately need to keep our homeland safe.

As in many rural states, Arkansas depends upon agriculture to fuel its economy.  This budget disproportionately impacts our nation’s farm families.  The President asked for a five percent cut to crop and dairy subsidies as well as cutting 300,000 from the food stamp program.  Our farm families serve an irreplaceable role in providing our nation with a safe and reliable source of food and fiber and I remain committed to providing a real safety net for farm families in Arkansas and across America.

The President committed to improving our nation’s math and science classes and included funding in the budget as part of the American Competitiveness Initiative.  However, this budget fully eliminates 42 programs that fall under the Department of Education’s jurisdiction including Vocational Education State Grants, Educational Technology State Grants and Safe and Drug-Free School State Grants.  For the fifth consecutive year, this budget does not increase funding for the Pell Grant – financial aid for need based college students.  

In 2001, I was one of 28 Democrats to support tax cuts; it was before September 11th and before our nation was involved in a war with Iraq and Afghanistan.  However, cutting taxes now for those earning over $400,000 while our nation is at war and experiencing record deficits for the fifth consecutive year is fiscal irresponsibility at its finest.  The President’s recommendation to make tax cuts permanent at the expense of our nation’s working families, poor, disabled and elderly is fiscally and morally wrong.  As Congress begins debate on the nation’s budget, I will continue to fight for the programs critical to the people of Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District.

“Years before Hurricane Katrina, FEMA developed a manual which enumerates qualifications for placement of manufactured homes which includes numerous steps that make it extremely difficult for an individual to quickly receive transitional housing.  For example, the current manual states manufactured homes cannot be placed on a flood plain.  Our Gulf coast just experienced a natural disaster where most of the homes destroyed were built on a flood plain. The reality is this:  FEMA owns over 11,000 manufactured homes that are not being delivered due to FEMA’s self imposed, unattainable and exhaustive policies.  This manual needs to be rewritten with a good dose of common sense so that we can get these homes to people in Mississippi and Louisiana who lost their homes and everything they own over five months ago,” said Ross.
“In a time of a national crisis, we must re-evaluate the guidelines and consider suspending the rules to get American citizens out of tents and hotels and into a new home so they can begin the process of rebuilding their lives,” said Ross.
According to FEMA, as of February 2, 2006, 74,189 temporary housing units have been delivered to applicants along the Gulf Coast.  Of the placed temporary housing units, 2,211 are considered manufactured homes and the remaining 71,978 are classified as travel trailers.  Travel trailers must meet less stringent requirements than manufactured homes under FEMA’s handbook in order to be approved for placement.  

While completing the tour provided him with an in depth understanding of FEMA’s placement process and knowledge of guidelines set forth by FEMA, Ross remains committed to seeing the homes placed with the families who remain homeless five months after Hurricane Katrina.  Ross plans to continue to ask the tough questions of FEMA to ensure these 11,000 manufactured homes in Hope are delivered to the people who need them.

“Coretta Scott King passionately carried on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., refusing to let her husband’s dream die with his untimely assassination in 1968.  Mrs. King continued Dr. King’s life’s work and was a champion in her own right for peace by founding the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and remaining steadfast in her commitment to carrying on the message of change through peaceful means.  Our nation will forever be indebted to Mrs. King who had the vision, courage and determination to successfully advance the cause of civil justice in America.  My prayers go out to the King family during this difficult time.”