Washington, D.C. -- After reviewing the President's 2007 budget, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) expressed disappointment to the painful cuts in areas that will hurt working families, seniors, and students.
"It saddens me that so many people will be negatively affected by the President's proposals," stated Senator Akaka. "Unfortunately, the Administration has again demonstrated a disregard for domestic programs to improve the lives of working people at the expense of tax cuts for the wealthiest."
CUTS IN HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS
In reviewing cuts in health care, Senator Akaka said, "Seniors will face tremendous challenges in Medicare where proposed cuts threaten to reduce access to care."
"I am also concerned about the proposed elimination of valued health career programs. The current shortage in health care professionals will only get worse as more doctors, nurses, technicians, coders, and other healthcare workers retire," Senator Akaka added. "In Hawaii we need programs such as the Hawaii and Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center Program to help prepare the next generation of health care professionals."
• In 2005, Hawaii received $935,115 for the Preventive Services Block Grant, which provided funding for community and cultural health care programs. The President's budget for FY07 eliminates the grant.
• The President's proposals include cuts for the National Institutes of Health. This will have a negative impact on more resources to advance medical science.
CUTS TO VETERANS PROGRAMS
"Unfortunately, we do not yet have realization that caring for veterans, fully, is part of the cost of war," said Senator Akaka.
• In the wake of recent GAO findings which revealed that the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) "management efficiencies are unproven, the VA is again proposing these kinds of savings.
• For the fourth year in a row, this Administration has proposed that middle-income veterans pay more for their care by doubling the prescription drug co-pay from $8 to $15 and imposing an enrollment fee of $250 a year.
• This budget also continues the ban on new "middle-income" veterans enrolling for care. So far, more than 260,000 veterans have been turned away at VA hospitals and clinics. Taken together, the Administration continues to send the wrong message to our troops overseas.
"It remains unclear to me whether the needs of returning servicemembers have been properly accounted for -- especially in the area of mental health. For the first time, Vet Centers are set to receive a minimal increase in funding, I have long pushed for an increase in this area, but in my view this budget does not provide enough to ensure that returning servicemembers will get the care they need to stave off PTSD," stated Senator Akaka.
CUTS IN HOMELAND SECURITY
Senator Akaka also noted the proposed cuts in Homeland Security, "Every state needs to have a basic level of preparedness, which this budget proposal does not provide. Under the Administration's plan, Hawaii will be unable to count on a consistent level of funding for preparedness and response programs."
• In 2004, Hawaii received $22 million in homeland security funding, and in 2005, that figure dropped to $19 million. President Bush has proposed cutting the formula-based state homeland security grants by over fifty percent.
• Once again the President has neglected to increase the Emergency Management Performance Grant funding. The EMPG program provides the only source of federal assistance to state and local managers to help with their emergency management capabilities. In fact, approximately 50 percent of Hawaii's Civil Defense staff are funded through these grants. A 2004 survey conducted by the National Emergency Management Association concluded that the program faces a $264 million shortfall.
FAILING THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE
The President proposes to move forward with his "Working for America" initiative that would extend to the rest of the federal workforce similar personnel changes being considered at the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.
Senator Akaka stated, "The path toward creating these new personnel systems at DoD and DHS has been marked by lawsuits against the two agencies, including an injunction preventing the DHS system from going forward. If the reforms taking place at these two agencies are any indication as to how new human resources and labor management systems will fare government-wide, then I believe it is time for the Administration to stand down from its position and rethink the best way to modernize the federal civil service."
CUTS TO EDUCATION
"President Bush's budget once again underfunds important education priorities. He stated that he is serious about maintaining America's competitiveness in the world, but he proposed the largest cut to federal education funding in the 26-year history of the Department of Education," noted Senator Akaka.
• According to appropriators, more than 10,000 keiki in Hawaii would be denied afterschool services if the cut proposed in the budget were to be enacted.
• Special education or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding is also on the chopping block, with Hawaii's shortfall at more than $22 million. Our learning disabled families can ill-afford such a cut.
• Even more tragic, Hawaii depends on important programs such as the Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Even Start, Civic Education, and Arts in Education programs, and these are recommended for termination in the budget.
• The Excellence in Economic Education Act, authored by Senator Akaka, is once again zeroed out, even if it is a program with proven results.
