Rep. Peter DeFazio
The president unveiled a budget with a record $675 billion deficit. His promise to cut the deficit in half in five years is a mirage that fails to withstand even the slightest scrutiny.
President Bush will spend every penny of the Social Security trust fund and more, creating huge mountains of debt for this and future generations in order to continue to line the pockets of the wealthiest Americans and largest multinational corporations.
“It’s time to invest in the nation, create jobs, establish real economic growth and address America’s needs ? replacing Oregon’s failing roads and bridges; fully funding fuel reduction projects that put people back to work in the woods and reduce the risk of forest fire; dredging our shallow harbor ports, making them safer and more efficient; and fully funding education programs, like No Child Left Behind ? rather than borrowing billions to fund tax cuts to millionaires. The priorities in this budget are wrong and reckless, and it would be a disaster for Congress to accept the president’s budget and its misplaced priorities.
Funding for Dredging Oregon’s Ports Eliminated ? The president’s budget eliminates funding for dredging Oregon’s shallow ports. Navigable channels are the economic lifeline of our small coastal communities, and the key to safe navigation on the Oregon coast. Again this year, I will fight to get that funding put back in the budget.
Thinning Budget Shortchanged ? The president has used the same creative accounting tactics as Enron and WorldCom to make it appear as though he is fully funding the “Healthy Forests Act.” In truth his budget steals from other Forest Service programs to fund thinning projects and ultimately leaves the agency unprepared to fight forest fires and do the fuel reduction work that will create more jobs and begin to return our forests to their natural state.
Transportation Investment Bypassed ? Investing in the reconstruction of our nation’s crumbling roads and bridges is the best way to create jobs and stimulate the economy. But the president prefers to borrow billions to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest few rather than invest in the roads and bridges that carry our nation’s commerce.
Affordable Energy Threatened ? The president’s budget even threatens the existence of the Bonneville Power Administration and affordable energy in the Northwest. The president again raises the prospect of privatizing BPA and dismantling the system that delivers low-cost, reliable, efficient hydropower to Northwest rate payers.
Veterans Insulted ? Once again, the president insults American veterans by proposing a $250 annual enrollment fee and a prescription drug co-payment increase for some veterans. Furthermore, the budget falls $2 billion short of funding requested by veterans organizations for medical care.
Small Businesses Shafted ? In his budget, the president significantly shortchanges the primary driver of our nation’s economy, small businesses. He cuts funding for the Small Business Administration by more than 10 percent. Funding for several important SBA programs has been cut or eliminated, including the microloan program, Women’s Business Center grants and the Small Business Innovative Research Program, leaving America’s small businesses to fend for themselves in a still-sluggish economy.
Americans Deceived ? The president failed to include in his budget the additional $50 to $100 billion needed to fund the occupation and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan.