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| Wilson Statement on House Budget |
March 17, 2005 |
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Washington, DC - Congresswoman Heather Wilson today voted for the budget in the U.S. House of Representatives which passed 218-214, and released the following statement:
“I supported this budget because it funds defense and homeland security, adequately protects several programs important to New Mexico and moves us closer to a balanced budget. I am disappointed in the portion of the budget that could lead to a smaller increase for the Medicaid program over the next five years. We need to reform Medicaid so that it improves the health of those who depend upon it. Policy should drive the budget, not the other way around.
“I have urged the House Budget members and the House leadership to establish a Medicaid Commission so we can determine a long term plan for improving Medicaid with all the players at the table. Our bipartisan legislation in the House to establish this commission now has over 130 cosponsors, and Sen. Smith was successful in adding his companion legislation to the Senate budget today. House rules do not allow amendments of that kind on budget resolutions. I will continue to encourage House leaders to accept this approach to reform Medicaid as we move into conference committee.”
Wilson Backs Democrat Amendment
Earlier in the day, Wilson supported a Democrat amendment to the House budget that was defeated by a vote of 242-180. The amendment called for increasing the fiscal year 2006 budget by $15.8 billion for veterans, education, health care, homeland security, the environment and infrastructure. The proposal would have offset the spending increases by reducing the fiscal year 2006 tax benefits for those earning more than $1 million, for an estimated revenue boost of $25.8 billion. The revenue increase would have also allowed about $10 billion for deficit reduction.
Wilson supported tax relief for families and small businesses in 2001 and again in 2003 to encourage economic growth. The economy has responded, creating three million jobs since May of 2003 and logging 21 straight months of growth.
Wilson said that additional funding for domestic priorities would have built on some of the key accomplishments of the 108th Congress, including historic funding levels for veterans’ health care.
On June 24, 2004, Wilson cast a similar vote, supporting a Democrat amendment in last year’s budget voting that would have provided $740 million for quality of life and better housing for military families, and would have boosted funding for clean water and open spaces efforts by $550 million, while remaining revenue-neutral by scaling back tax benefits for those earning more than $1 million.
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