back FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  CONTACT: May 19, 2004 Kate Dwyer: 202-226-7326   Ryan Votes for Budget Agreement to Hold Line on Spending, Avoid Tax Hikes Stresses Need to Reform Broken Budget Process, Make Budget Enforceable WASHINGTON –  Wisconsin’s First District Congressman Paul Ryan today voted in favor of the House-Senate agreement (conference report) on the budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2005, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 216–213.  The annual budget resolution does not have the force of law, but rather serves as a guideline for Congress as it prepares the year’s spending bills.  Ryan has spearheaded a movement in Congress to change this by reforming the broken budget process and making the budget an enforceable law to control government spending more effectively.  Ryan’s legislation will be voted on in June.  The budget resolution conference agreement that the House approved today freezes the level of domestic spending (except for homeland security).  “In the short term, this budget will help us rein in wasteful spending – if Congress sticks to it and doesn’t violate the spending guidelines,” Ryan said.  “Unfortunately, this is a big ‘if’ because the budget isn’t law and there are many, many ways Congress can sidestep the budget to overspend.  That’s why real reform of the overall budget process is crucial.  I’m continuing to fight for this reform that will help get rid of wasteful pork-barrel spending and make Washington more careful about how it spends our tax dollars.”  Among the spending priorities outlined in this conference report on the budget resolution are the following: For homeland security, the budget provides for about a $2.75 billion increase in discretionary budget authority. Military spending is at the President’s requested level of $402 billion for fiscal year 2005. The budget also provides for up to $50 billion in fiscal year 2005 for additional needed costs associated with operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. For veterans, the conference agreement provides for a $1.2 billion increase over the President’s request and rejects fee increases.   This budget agreement also guards against tax increases by leaving room to extend tax relief that would otherwise begin to expire next year.  Specifically, it accommodates the current child tax credit of $1,000 per child, the current level of marriage penalty relief, and the current 10-percent tax bracket – tax relief that would begin to shrink in 2005 if a new law extending these benefits does not pass – and protects these tax provisions from a Senate point of order.  back