(Washington, D.C.) – The Bush White House is planning to dramatically cut funding for Washington state priorities including veterans, students, and security, according to an internal White House budget memo disclosed in media reports today.
The memo, from the White House Office of Management and Budget, directs cabinet agencies to develop a budget for Fiscal Year 2006 that makes significant cuts in programs that are critical to Washington state families. Further, details of the President’s budget cuts would not be revealed until after the November 2004 presidential election.
“Today we got more disturbing news about the true costs of the President’s failed policies,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash). “After years of reckless budget priorities, the White House now plans to dramatically cut critical services after the November election.”
According to news reports, starting in Fiscal Year 2006 the Bush Administration would cut homeland security by $1 billion, education by $1.5 billion, veterans services by $910 million, the National Institutes of Health by $600 million, and Head Start by $177 million, among other cuts. These proposed cuts will hurt the American people’s ability to create opportunity and address pressing needs.
“We’re not just talking about programs here. We’re talking about people’s lives,” Murray said. “These cuts threaten our ability to meet our obligations to our veterans, our children, our seniors and our security.”
Murray, who has served on the Senate Budget Committee for 11 years, has repeatedly raised warning flags about how the Bush Administration’s budget priorities hurt Washington families.
Murray has also used her seat on the Budget Committee to correct the Bush Administration’s faulty budget plans. For example, in March, when the Senate debated the Republican budget resolution, Murray offered amendments to fully-fund the No Child Left Behind Act and to stop Republicans from cutting port security grants by 63 percent. Unfortunately, both of Murray’s amendments were defeated on partisan votes.
Despite the White House’s influence in Congress, Murray has repeatedly succeeded in protecting Washington families from Bush budget cuts, including:
- Last January, Murray’s amendment saved the Community Access Program, a local health care initiative that serves families in Spokane, Wenatchee, Olympia, and Seattle.
- Last April, Murray beat back White House threats and delivered unemployment benefits to laid-off Boeing and other aviation workers.
- For the past 10 months, Murray used her position on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to help local veterans and community leaders save three Washington VA hospitals that the Bush Administration tried to close. Murray is also a cosponsor of S.50, a bill to protect veterans healthcare funding from budget games.
- And earlier this month, Murray’s bipartisan proposal to boost funding for disabled students passed the full Senate.
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