Joseph T. Burns: “today I opposed the Harkin amendment No. 1921, on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program. Most of us know the…”

“today I opposed the Harkin amendment No. 1921, on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program. Most of us know the important role that the Community Service Block Grant Program plays in addressing the needs of folks on limited incomes in Montana and across this country. The programs it encompasses go a long way toward softening some of the conditions and addressing the causes of poverty. The range of services include everything from low- income energy assistance, nutrition and housing programs, Head Start education, and other vital services offered by community action agencies. I strongly support the CSBG Program--I always have--and I will continue to support full funding of CSBG again in the fiscal year 2006 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill. The Senate version of the bill funds CSBG at almost $637 million, while the House of Representatives funded the program only at $320 million. Earlier this year, I signed a letter to my colleagues on the Senate's Appropriations Subcommittee on the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, outlining my support for funding CSBG at $650 million fiscal year 2006. All the Senate needs to do now is its work in passing the fiscal year 2006 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill and getting it to conference where this important program and the countless others' funding levels may be reconciled with the House bill.…”