HOUSE BUDGET GUIDED BY MISPLACED PRIORITIESMay 18, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, citing misplaced priorities, voted against the House FY 2007 Federal Budget and supported an alternative proposal, which extends tax cuts for working families, implements budget restraints, provides adequate funding for veterans' healthcare, homeland security, and education. The House Budget Resolution does not provide funding for particular programs; rather it sets over-all spending guidelines. The House passed the FY07 Budget in the dead of the night while hardworking families were asleep after killing the balanced alternative proposal.

"Given the extent of our nation's $8.4 trillion National Debt, as well as our record budget deficits, its imperative Congress implements a budget that pays down the deficit while still funding the programs vital to the nation's security and prosperity. Unfortunately, I believe the budget as passed does not meet these goals."

The budget alternative Davis supported set aside $150 billion for extending tax cuts, including: child tax credit, alternative minimum tax relief, marriage penalty relief, state and local sales tax deductibility, research and development tax credits, and estate tax relief for 99.7% of all estates in America.

Davis and the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative Democrats, were able to include provisions in the alternative budget proposal. The provisions would institute pay-as-you-go policies to restrain excessive growth in spending, prevent future budget reconciliation measures from increasing the deficit, and requires separate votes on raising the debt limit. None of these provisions were included in the budget passed by the House.

"The budget passed by the House calls for budget deficits totaling $1.1 trillion over five years (2007-2011). If Congress does not act to reduce the deficit and pay down the National Debt we will handicap the future of our children, grandchildren, and our soldiers who are fighting abroad. They will either have to dramatically raise taxes, drastically cut Medicare, Social Security and other spending, or continue to rely on foreign countries to finance our debt."

Based on current funding levels the House Budget would cut veterans' health care by $6 billion over five years and increase TRICARE health care coverage for millions of military retirees and their families. The budget alternative supported by Davis would reject these measures.

The House budget cuts funding for border security, port security, and first responders by $6.1 billion over the next five years. The budget alternative supported by Davis would make America safer by rejecting these cuts and putting more resources in place to protect our nations land and water points of access.

Additionally, the budget cuts education funding by $45.3 billion over five years. Given the guideline put forward, this budget could cut areas of education that are important to the Fourth Congressional District. A strong public educational system, Head Start, Adult Education, and vocational education programs give our students the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to participate in our country's economy.

"How can we possibly expect our schools, teachers, and children to meet the requirements of this law if we don't provide them with the tools and resources they need," Davis said.