John Conyers: “today is a historic day. After years of rising deficits and draconian Republican budgets, the vote on the Budget…”

“today is a historic day. After years of rising deficits and draconian Republican budgets, the vote on the Budget Conference Report finally puts us on the right course. The Democratic budget will take America in a new direction by funding national priorities such as health care services, educational programs, and veterans services while providing middle class tax assistance. The Democratic budget rejects the Administration's attempts to cut funding to many social programs that support American children and families such as State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), Pell grants, Medicare, and Medicaid. This forward looking budget will help all Americans progress towards social and economic security. The Democratic budget will also provide tax relief for middle-income workers and will extend popular tax credits such as the child tax credit, marriage penalty relief, and more deductions for state and local sales taxes. After our troops have defended our great country, we need to give our servicemen and veterans the best possible health care. The budget provides sufficient funds to treat traumatic injuries and improve health care facilities for veterans, as well as to treat the more than twenty-six thousand service members who have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Funding measures to veterans healthcare is a well deserved and necessary expense providing $3.6 billion above the President's proposal.”