Patrick Leahy: “it is regrettable, and it is frustrating, that once again we find ourselves having to speak out on the shortfalls in the…”

“it is regrettable, and it is frustrating, that once again we find ourselves having to speak out on the shortfalls in the budget resolution for key community and economic development programs. The budget before us slashes Federal assistance to distressed and underserved communities. These cuts are shortsighted, they are ill- advised, and they represent a significant retreat from our longstanding commitment to invest in our Nation's communities. In just a few weeks, the Senate will again be asked to appropriate tens of billions more to help Iraq. Though the President's request for Iraq funds is once again off the budget so that it avoids our normal budget rules, the Iraq supplemental funding request once again is for real taxpayers' dollars--no less real than the domestic cuts that the Bush-Cheney budget proposes for the priorities of the American people here at home. That is why I am proud to join Senators Murray and Sarbanes, as well as 14 more of our colleagues--17 of us in all--in offering an amendment to the fiscal year 07 budget resolution to provide for an increase of $1.3 billion to restore the community development block grants, or CDBG, to the fiscal year 04 level of $4.3 billion. We fully pay for the increase in funds by closing egregious tax loopholes that more than 90 Members of this Chamber have already gone on record in support of closing.…”