Washington, DC -- Calling it a “blueprint for national disaster”, Congressman Neil Abercrombie voted today against the Republican budget for Fiscal Year 2007 (House Concurrent Resolution 376).

“This budget is a blueprint for national disaster,” said Abercrombie.  “It cuts programs that work for low and middle income families in order to provide more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.”

The budget will add $300 billion to the deficit in FY2007.

The budget does not include any assumptions about the cost of the war in Iraq beyond 2007, leaving the conflict’s costs to be addressed by “supplemental appropriations” which mask the fiscal impact of the war on the U.S. national debt.

 Impacts of the Republican budget on Hawaii include:

·       If the tax cuts are made permanent, Hawaii's wealthiest 1% would get $9,684 in tax breaks, while middle income families get $54;
  
·       Budget includes Social Security privatization and cuts for current Social Security death benefits;
 
·       $22 million less for children with disabilities in Hawaii than was promised for the program;
 
·       Slashes funding by $1.5 million for Clean Water loan funds which help improve wastewater treatment;

·       Cuts $2.1 million for Hawaii Social Services Block Grant funding, which helps people in Hawaii achieve self sufficiency;

   
·       Eliminates almost $14 million for job training and employment services in Hawaii; and
 
·       Eliminates almost $6 million in vocational education funding in Hawaii.

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