Washington, DC (April 6, 2006) – Today, Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) released the following response to the passage of President Bush’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget in the House of Representatives.  An alternate version of the budget, which Hinojosa supported, did not pass:

“The budget that passed today is just simply irresponsible.  It slashes funding for key priorities, such as national security, health care and education, which are critical to America’s middle class and our country as a whole.  It includes damaging spending cuts, continued large deficits and spiraling debt.  

“I supported an alternate version of the budget that would have balanced the budget by 2012, reduced deficits over the next five years, reinstate a pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rule for new tax cuts and new spending, protects working families, and maintains funding for defense and homeland security.  However, this version was rejected, and the budget presented by the President was passed.

“At a time when America is still waging a war on terror, the House budget shortchanges homeland security – cutting $488 million this year and $6.1 billion over five years from the amount needed to keep up with inflation.  It is little better than the President’s budget, which eliminates port security grants and rail and transit security grants, and slashes funding for first responders.  

“In South and Central Texas, there have been many conversations about the level of health care and services our veterans receive.  And, while we work to get our veterans the services they deserve, this budget cuts veterans’ health care by $6 billion over 5 years, and increases TRICARE health care premiums for more than 3 million military retirees and their families.

“Once again, it does not fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act, providing $15.4 billion less in funding for education.  It eliminates several key education programs, such as Vocational Education State Grants, Educational Technology State Grants and Safe and Drug-Free School State Grants. These come on top of the $635 million cut in education last year.

“Even as college costs have risen 40 percent since 2001, the Republican budget follows the President’s budget, which once again freezes the maximum Pell Grant for college at $4,050 –for the fifth year in a row.  The President’s budget denies more than 460,000 students low-cost loans and eliminates eight higher education programs, including GEAR-UP and Upward Bound, which are critical to boosting college opportunities and access. 

“The Budget recommends a reduction of $1.15 billion in funding for HUD’s housing programs.  It proposes cutting Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) by 20 percent; public housing cuts of eight percent; and has either zero funded or eliminated the Rural Housing and Economic Development Program, urban empowerment zones, funding for La Raza and the Housing Assistance Council, and the National Community Development Initiative. In addition, no funding has been provided for the construction or preservation of affordable housing.

 
“All of these programs directly help low-income and rural communities across the country.  At a time when we need to maintain funding for CDBG and low-income housing programs, especially in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it’s a mystery to me that programs people rely upon to get back on their feet face such drastic cuts.

“Last year I fought to keep the Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D) intact, and prevent closure of Farm Service Agencies, and yet again the President is recommending consolidating funding for the programs.  Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our economy and we need to do all we can to support them, not continue slashing programs that assist them.

“This budget fails our country, does nothing to curb our deficit, includes damaging budget cuts, and is fiscally irresponsible.  We need to do better for our students, our veterans, our farmers and our families.  For these reasons and more, I voted against this proposed budget.”