[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 14 (Wednesday, February 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E92-E93]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PRESIDENT BUSH'S FY2007 BUDGET

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                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 8, 2006

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to the 
priorities set forth in the President's Budget which hides the true 
costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, finances tax cuts on the 
backs of the poor, slashes Medicare and Medicaid, and favors special 
interests over the interests of the American people.
  Before the State of the Union address, I along with several other 
Members of Congress, sent President Bush a letter asking him to make 
sure that he tells the American people the truth. During the State of 
Union, President Bush said that his budget would cut the deficit in 
half by 2009. Unfortunately, it seems that the President did not read 
our letter.
  The President's budget is misleading in the projected costs of the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2001, approximately $370 billion 
has been provided to finance the wars and reconstruction efforts in 
Iraq and Afghanistan. More than $260 billion of that amount has been 
funneled into Iraq. In his budget, the President has set aside $50 
billion in 2007 for Iraq and Afghanistan, but has not allotted any 
money beyond 2007. While I welcome a swift end to the war in Iraq, the 
assumption that this country will not spend a dime in Iraq and 
Afghanistan beyond 2007 is farfetched.
  The President's budget is misleading in not including the 10 year 
costs of repairing the Alternative Minimum Tax. While the President has 
included a 1-year provision to mitigate the AMT's impact on the middle 
class, it omits the cost of the full repair to the AMT. This cost is 
projected to increase the deficit by $844 billion over the next 10 
years.
  Besides being disingenuous, this budget exacts a financial toll on 
our nation's disadvantaged citizens while helping to finance billions 
of dollars in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. The cost to make 
the President's tax cuts permanent is $1.35 trillion over the next 
decade. At the same time, the President's budget cuts significant 
social programs, including cuts in job training, education, food 
stamps, and environmental protection efforts.
  Most alarmingly, this budget would allow the Federal Government to 
turn its back on those Americans who struggle to maintain their

[[Page E93]]

health. The President's budget cuts Medicaid by $17.2 billion over 5 
years, thereby jeopardizing the care of this country's most vulnerable 
Americans. The budget also cuts Medicare spending by $105 billion over 
the next 10 years, in part by reducing payments for providers. 
Furthermore, the President's budget proposes real cuts to the National 
Institute of Health. At a time when we are making significant progress 
in finding cures to cancer and heart disease, and the threat of serious 
new diseases such as Avian flu and other pandemics loom, the President 
is proposing to slow scientific and medical advancement.
  The President's budget also fails to reduce the cost of health care 
or address the rising number of uninsured Americans. At a time when 
there are already 46 million Americans without any health coverage, 
this budget is wrong for our country.
  This shameful budget rewards well-connected wealthy interests at the 
expense of the poor. Because the President's budget promotes the wrong 
priorities for our country, it should be rejected.

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