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Bishop Calls for a Balanced Budget

March 1, 2005

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Sanford Bishop released the following statement regarding today’s passage of the 2005 Budget Resolution:

“House Republicans passed the 2006 Budget resolution today by a party-line vote of 218 – 214. I voted against this budget because it fails to meet the real challenges of American families at the same time that it continues the dangerous trend of adding billions to our national debt. It is a betrayal of the national trust.

“Instead, I voted in favor of important legislation that was both fiscally sound and in line with our nation’s values. The Spratt/Democratic Substitute as well as the Congressional Black Caucus’s Budget focused on meeting our domestic and national security needs by instituting tax reform measures that fund government spending without mounting deficits.

“In times of fiscal crisis, sacrifices need to be made, yet the budget resolution today essentially funds $100 billion in additional tax cuts by slashing Medicaid and grants for community development; under-funding critical priorities such as veterans’ health care, agriculture and education; raiding the Social Security trust fund and adding $2 trillion in debt over just five years. It doesn’t make sense.

“Unlike the Republican sponsored budget, the budgets I voted for fully funded veterans’ healthcare, met our commitments to our nation’s farmers, provided for key education and training initiatives, funded community development and housing programs and renewed our commitment to balancing the budget and restoring the social security surplus.

“The Democratic Substitute and the Congressional Black Caucus Budget honored our commitment to our men and women in uniform and the sacred trust that we hold with the American people. I am disappointed that these important pieces of legislation did not get the bipartisan consideration that they deserved. Our fiscal priorities should be a matter of national not partisan interest.”