U.S. Representative Sandy Levin
12th District of Michigan
| For Immediate Release February 1, 2006 |
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LEVIN: BUDGET BILL HARMS AMERICA’S CHILDREN Republicans, Once Again, Slash Key Funding For Working Americans |
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(Washington D.C.)- Today, U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak), speaking on the House floor, opposed the second Budget Reconciliation Conference Report passed by both the House and Senate. Deceptively called the "Deficit Reduction Act of 2005," the bill would dramatically reduce federal support for child support collection, student loans, and healthcare for children, the elderly, and the disabled. As a result, its reported budgetary savings would be more than canceled out by the $70 billion in tax cuts Republican leaders plan to pass later this month. Levin blasted its razor thin passage of 216 to 214, calling it "harmful for America's children."
“What the Republicans are doing is turning their backs on the children of this country,” said U.S. Rep. Levin. “The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has determined that this budget report will lead to the reduction of $8.4 million dollars in child support collections. Those who support this measure will have to explain to the American public why they would cut funding for those who collect child support from those who owe it.”
The Republican’s budget reconciliation plan not only strips away money from the child support enforcement program, but also slashes funding from the student loan program, and cuts healthcare assistance from children, elderly and the disabled.
“Slashing funding from the federal student loan program sends the wrong message to our college students seeking a college education,” continued Levin.
The House originally passed a nearly identical earlier version of this conference report by a vote of 212 to 206 during the early morning hours of December 21st. The additional House vote is required because the Senate made some small technical changes to make the bill comply with Senate rules. The $38.8 billion in mandatory cuts over the next five years contained in this bill will go to offset in part the revenues lost due to extensions of the tax cuts in dividends and capital gains, over 50 percent of which goes to persons earning over 1 million dollars a year, passed by the House last December and tentatively scheduled for final House-Senate action later this month.
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