U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release February 7, 2005		CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600
SEN. SALAZAR: PRESIDENT'S BUDGET FAILS TO SERVE NEEDS OF COLORADO WASHINGTON - United States Senator Ken Salazar, (D-CO) released his statement on the President’s FY 06 Budget. “At first glance, the President’s mix of spending and spending cuts presents a fiscally tight budget. But, this proposal is ultimately what’s wrong with Washington. The President is not being forthcoming about his budget or the booming deficit. He does not count the transition costs of his Social Security plan; doesn’t count the true costs of the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism; doesn’t count the investments we need to keep America safe; and doesn’t count what’s needed to provide financial security to our families.” There are things I support in the President’s budget, such as: • reducing the amount of payments to non-family farms, • and increases in wind energy. But there are big holes in the President’s proposal like: • cuts to health benefits for nearly all of Colorado’s 430,000 veterans, including a proposal to more than double the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs to our veterans; • gutted rural health care services; • and insufficient investment in the heroes in local law enforcement who lead our fight for homeland security. “For example, state homeland security grants for first responders are targeted for a 25% reduction. And while he proposes to make permanent the tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans, he does not account for fixing the alternative minimum tax hitting millions of middle class Americans.” “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Congress to get our priorities straight, and work toward honest budgeting and true deficit reduction.” # # #