Conyers Opposes Republican Budget Resolution Because of Damaging Cuts and Increasing Deficits

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. announced that he will vote against the Republican Fiscal Year 2007 budget resolution that was reported out of the House Budget Committee in March. He said the following about the misguided Republican budget resolution, which the Republicans have so far been unable to pass:

"At the beginning of April," said Conyers, "the Republicans pulled the budget resolution from the House floor because they lacked the votes to pass it. After over a month of arm-twisting, the Republican leadership still cannot convince enough skeptical Republicans to pass this deeply flawed legislation.

The Republican budget hides the true costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, finances tax cuts on the backs of the poor, slashes funding for health, education, and veterans benefits, rejects environmental protection needs, and makes bad deficits worse.

The Republican budget is misleading in the projected costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2001, approximately $370 billion has been provided to finance the wars and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than $260 billion of that amount has been funneled into Iraq. Republicans have set aside $50 billion in 2007 for Iraq and Afghanistan, but have not allotted any money beyond 2007. While I welcome a swift end to the war in Iraq, the assumption that this country will not spend a dime in Iraq and Afghanistan beyond 2007 is farfetched.

Besides being disingenuous, this budget exacts a financial toll on our nation's disadvantaged citizens while helping to finance billions of dollars in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. One day after passing a $70 billion tax cut package for the wealthy, the Republicans are seeking to pay for those tax cuts by slashing significant services for working families and the poor. The Republican resolution cuts funding for education by cutting $2.2 billion from the Department of Education and eliminating 42 education programs. The resolution also cuts $8.6 billion from services to veterans and $18.1 billion from health care. Additionally, the resolution slashes funding for critical environmental needs that protect public health and preserve our nation's resources, including significant cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers.

To add insult to injury, the Republican budget resolution creates a deficit for 2006 of $372 billion and a deficit for 2007 of $348 billion. Over five years, the budget resolution calls for deficits totaling $1.1 trillion. It is wholly unacceptable for this country to continue to amass staggering budget deficits, the costs of which will be borne by future generations.

This shameful legislation rewards well-connected wealthy interests at the expense of the poor. Because the budget resolution promotes the wrong priorities for our country, the Republican leadership should give up efforts to pass the budget resolution in its current form. Instead, Republicans must go back to the drawing board to create a fiscally responsible budget that protects working families and the poor."

###5-11-2006###