Steven Holt: “I voted against the FY2006 Concurrent Budget Resolution that was reported by the House Budget Committee and narrowly…”

“I voted against the FY2006 Concurrent Budget Resolution that was reported by the House Budget Committee and narrowly passed the House on a 218-214 vote last month. I did so for a variety of reasons. First, President Bush and the majority party in this Congress want us to keep borrowing against our future and that of our children, and perhaps their children. The budget deficit for this year is a record $427 billion. We added $114 billion to the deficit in February, the first time it has ever gone over $100 billion in one month. This is how we have added more to the national debt in the past four years than in the prior two centuries of our nation's history. Therefore, a vote in favor of this budget resolution is a vote for more ``borrow and spend'' policies that are responsible for our country's current fiscal plight. Second, the House-passed budget plan shortchanges many Americans who are most deserving or in need of help, including our veterans, children, and elderly. At the same time, it slashes funding for many of our nation's important priorities--education, healthcare, AMTRAK and alternative transportation and energy initiatives, homeland security, environmental protection, job training, research and development, and small business innovation. Let me cite a few glaring examples. The House-passed budget cuts veterans' health care by $14 billion below what is currently needed over the next five years.…”