WASHINGTON, DC- Following the release of President Bush’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget request, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) issued the following statement:
“At a time when many Pennsylvania families are struggling, President Bush’s budget request remains oblivious to economic realities. Rather than helping to solve the problems facing families and the economy, President Bush seems content to turn over to his successor a legacy of record debt and wrong priorities.
“We are bombarded with bad economic news: Costs for families are up, for the first time in over four years the U.S. economy has lost jobs, tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians are in danger of losing their homes, wages are stagnant and the economy is in a downward spiral.
“Despite these struggles, the President today submitted a budget request that includes massive cuts to health care, additional cuts to law enforcement and homeland security grant programs, slashes funding for the LIHEAP home heating assistance program and also includes cuts to Amtrak, afterschool programs, Community Development Block Grants and eliminates the Community Services Block Grant and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
“President Bush’s budget includes a cut of almost $200 billion to Medicare and Medicaid over five years. While he is making huge cuts to health care, President Bush is requesting a fiscally irresponsible extension of his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. An extension of these tax cuts would cost $635 billion over five years and a staggering $2.1 trillion over ten years.
“The President’s budget also does not account for a long-term fix to the AMT. Without such a fix, middle class families could see large tax increases. After five years of war, President Bush is still not including the full cost of the war in his budget. All of these exclusions will further add to budget deficits and the federal debt.
“A quick look at just some of President Bush’s budget cuts helps put a real face on the numbers. Pennsylvania cities would lose $52 million in Community Development Block Grant funding. Pennsylvania seniors and low-income families could lose $17 million in LIHEAP funding that helps them heat their homes in the winter. Commuters in Pennsylvania who rely on Amtrak will suffer if President Bush’s proposed $535 million, 40% cut in funding becomes law. By eliminating the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, 14,600 Pennsylvanians would no longer receive this important food and nutrition assistance.”
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“At a time when many Pennsylvania families are struggling, President Bush’s budget request remains oblivious to economic realities. Rather than helping to solve the problems facing families and the economy, President Bush seems content to turn over to his successor a legacy of record debt and wrong priorities.
“We are bombarded with bad economic news: Costs for families are up, for the first time in over four years the U.S. economy has lost jobs, tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians are in danger of losing their homes, wages are stagnant and the economy is in a downward spiral.
“Despite these struggles, the President today submitted a budget request that includes massive cuts to health care, additional cuts to law enforcement and homeland security grant programs, slashes funding for the LIHEAP home heating assistance program and also includes cuts to Amtrak, afterschool programs, Community Development Block Grants and eliminates the Community Services Block Grant and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
“President Bush’s budget includes a cut of almost $200 billion to Medicare and Medicaid over five years. While he is making huge cuts to health care, President Bush is requesting a fiscally irresponsible extension of his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. An extension of these tax cuts would cost $635 billion over five years and a staggering $2.1 trillion over ten years.
“The President’s budget also does not account for a long-term fix to the AMT. Without such a fix, middle class families could see large tax increases. After five years of war, President Bush is still not including the full cost of the war in his budget. All of these exclusions will further add to budget deficits and the federal debt.
“A quick look at just some of President Bush’s budget cuts helps put a real face on the numbers. Pennsylvania cities would lose $52 million in Community Development Block Grant funding. Pennsylvania seniors and low-income families could lose $17 million in LIHEAP funding that helps them heat their homes in the winter. Commuters in Pennsylvania who rely on Amtrak will suffer if President Bush’s proposed $535 million, 40% cut in funding becomes law. By eliminating the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, 14,600 Pennsylvanians would no longer receive this important food and nutrition assistance.”
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