Rep. Corrine Brown
House Democratic Budget Statement
March 12, 2008

Madame Speaker, I rise in support of the Democratic Budget offered today. This budget is a stark contrast to the President’s budget, which is entirely insufficient in meeting the needs of our nation, and those of my constituents in the third district of Florida. President Bush’s final budget represents more missed opportunities and misplaced priorities for America that we have seen for the past seven years. The Democratic budget, on the other hand, is about the right priorities: our seniors, our students, our children, the middle class, and the working poor.

As an African American woman who represents one of the poorest districts in the state of Florida, I am proud to say that Democrats are fighting for a budget that reflects the values of America’s working families. The 2009 Democratic Budget continues fiscal discipline that still delivers economic prosperity, a strong national defense, affordable health care and energy prices, and strong public schools.  

Americans hear everyday from the newspapers and television about our worsening economy and possible tough times ahead. At a time of a slowing economy and Americans increasingly struggling to make ends meat, the President’s budget calls for more than $1 trillion in tax breaks for the top 1 percent of Americans over 10 years.

Indeed in these times, when Americans are fearful for their livelihoods and quality of life, the President’s budget demonstrates its priorities by eliminating the $757 million Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant program, which helps lower-income students afford a higher education; cutting Medicare by $556 billion and Medicaid by more than $80 billion over 10 years and slashing vital programs that boost our economy.

In Florida, the President’s Budget, if enacted, would cost Title I schools 301 teachers, cut $112 per child in IDEA funding, and removed nearly $4.4 million for after-school programs.

The Democratic Budget calls for $85.3 billion in education, training, employment and social services that can be used for Head Start, job training, increased access to colleges, new training for “green-collar” jobs and broadened access to Hispanic-serving and historically black colleges and universities.

In Florida, health care premiums have risen 40.5 percent since 2000, 3.7 million residents were without health insurance last year, and 2 million Florida residents slid into poverty over the last two years.  And yet the President’s budget would actually cut spending for government health resources and services by $982 million and cut $378 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  These cuts would jeopardize the health of 77,000 people living with invasive cancer in Florida and the 9 percent of Florida adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes. The Administration’s budget also includes $195 billion in cuts over five years to Medicare and Medicaid that threaten to endanger Florida’s 3.1 million Medicare and 2.1 million Medicaid patients’ access to the care they need to lead healthy, independent lives.

On the other hand, Democrats have invested $57.6 billion in health programs that emphasize support for disease-prevention, food safety and quality health care for under-served populations.

In Florida, the President’s Budget would have cost $29.78 million in CDBG funding endangering job creation, affordable housing and other aid to citizens in need. President Bush also cut the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program that may lose over $58 million in private investment in Florida as well as 1,411 estimated jobs.

Democrats have provided $55.6 billion for low-income programs that includes federal-employee retirement and disability benefits, unemployment compensation, low-income housing assistance, food and nutrition assistance and other income –security programs.

In closing, I would like to reiterate that Democrats are committed to a new direction for America in which the interests of hardworking Florida families take priority over the special interests. Our national budget should invest in our future and reflect the aspirations of the American people. This budget delivers fiscal responsibility, economic prosperity, a strong national defense, access to healthcare and high-quality public schools for the people in my district and for Americans overall.

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