Video of Congressman Sherman in Action
Washington, D.C. - House Republicans are poised to hand out more tax breaks for the wealthy after voting 217 to 215 early Friday to cut $50 billion from student loans and health care for seniors, the disabled and poor.
"The gall," said Congressman Brad Sherman. "This is Robin Hood in reverse. They are taking from the poor to give to the rich."
With college tuition skyrocketing, the budget would chop more than $14 billion from student loans, driving up costs for the 496,822 student borrowers in California. "This is the second jolt of bad news this week for California university students," Sherman said. Regents decided Wednesday to raise fees by 8 percent next year, the fifth straight year of higher costs at California universities.
The budget also would reduce Medicaid by $12 billion, including a $1.24 billion cut for California alone. The result would reduce health care for 9.3 million uninsured California children, seniors and others who rely on Med Cal. For the first time, states could charge premiums and co-payments on children's health care.
The budget also would strip billions in federal funding for child support enforcement, bad news for single parents struggling to provide for their children.
And it would take food stamps away from about 225,000 people, throw 40,000 children out of the school lunch program, and reduce spending on environmental protection and housing programs.
"Last night's $50 billion in cuts to education and health care cannot be justified as reducing the federal deficit because this afternoon the Republicans plan to pass $56 billion in tax cuts, primarily for the very wealthy." Sherman said.}
