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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Donald M. Payne today joined a majority in the House of Representatives in support of a new fiscally responsible budget plan that will strengthen the economy and make America safer. The budget for Fiscal Year 2009 was approved by a vote of 212-207.
"For too long, Republicans and President Bush ran up big deficits and ignored priorities here at home," said Payne. "I was proud to back a budget that will help get the American economy moving and balance our budget."
The Democratic budget is a sharp departure from the fiscally irresponsible budgets proposed by the President and the previous Republican Congress. The budget approved by the House today is fiscally responsible, resulting in a surplus by 2012 and adhering to the pay-as-you-go budget rules.
The new Democratic budget makes key investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency, which will create hundreds of thousands of green jobs. The budget also puts family budgets first and helps to make affordable - everything from energy to food to a college education, helping Americans avoid losing their homes, and lowering taxes for middle class families.
Additionally, the budget enhances national security by restoring our military readiness, providing a $4.9 billion increase over Fiscal Year 2008 for veterans' health care and increasing funding to protect America from terrorism over the President's levels.
"Democrats have brought fiscal responsibility back to Washington and put families first," added Payne. "Our balanced budget gives middle class families the tax breaks they deserve and helps make our communities safer and stronger."
The Democratic plan also rejects the harmful cuts in the President's budget, including cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, environmental protection, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). It accommodates $50 billion over five years for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP); and provides substantial resources over the President's budget for education programs.
For a detailed summary of the Democratic budget, visit:
http://budget.house.gov/analyses/09summary_dem_budget_rev.pdf.
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