House Passes Budget 233-196 – Commits to Changes Necessary For Economic Recovery

Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel voted in favor of the FY 2010 Budget Resolution (H Con Res 85), which contains priorities he has long fought for – investments in education, health care reform and energy independence. It also takes the vital steps needed to cut the national deficit by more than half by 2013, while providing $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for middle income families.

“While every federal budget is important, this budget may be the most important one that many of us have had to vote on. President Obama took office with a record deficit waiting for him and a country in the midst of a historic economic crisis. After eight years of ballooning national debt, miniscule job growth, flat wages and a growing number of our fellow Americans mired in poverty, decisive action was needed. President Obama took the lead, and the House joined with him, in providing ample opportunity for immediate growth, and the vision to look forward and provide for a reduction of the debt, once the immediate crisis has subsided,” said Rep. Engel.

He added, “One of the largest contributors to the deficit is our health care system and the inability for many businesses to cope with or families to afford health insurance. In addition, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been more costly than the Bush Administration led us to believe – this budget accounts for those inaccuracies.”

Some of the main points of the budget include:

* Health Care Reform – Reduces costs, improves quality and expands coverage to help the 46 million Americans currently without coverage. The average cost of employer-sponsored family health care exceeded $12,000 in 2008, more than twice the level from ten years ago. Premiums continue to grow faster than wages. The budget proposes to reduce administrative costs and other inefficiencies which lead to higher costs.
* Education – Proposes to build upon the $100 billion provided for education in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) by supporting early childhood education, higher standards with the tools to achieve them, and efforts to help more people earn a college degree.
* Energy Independence – Also builds on funding and tax incentives provided in ARRA by calling for an increased investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency. It proposes to increase appropriations for energy programs by $1.0 billion (18.4 percent) above the 2009 level. It also calls for a reserve to promote energy independence – reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping businesses, industries, states, communities, and households adjust to an economy with reduced emissions levels.
* Cutting the deficit – This budget takes the record deficit currently in place and proposes to cut it to $586 billion in 2013 by restraining spending, requiring new initiatives to be fully funded, and including investments in oversight and enforcement. It also includes likely foreseeable costs which have often been omitted in the past.
* Providing for Veterans – Proposes $53.3 billion in appropriated funding for veterans’ health care and other services, which is $5.5 billion more than the 2009 level. It also proposes more funding than 2009 for the Department of Veterans Affairs to research and treat mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury.


“Another key component to this budget is the job creation related to investments and reforms in health care, clean energy and education. President Obama has rightly said this budget takes us away from the era of borrow and spend and into an era of save and invest. This is a true 21st Century budget which looks ahead to the challenges facing our nation, while addressing the immediate needs of our people. We must move away from the fiscal priorities and policies the Republicans are still suggesting, which got us into trouble in the first place. President Obama promised change for Washington and this budget reflects that vow,” added Rep. Engel.