Rep. Johnson's Statement on the President's $3 Trillion 2009 Budget

Press Release

President Bush announced his long-awaited budget proposal and once again, has shown how out of touch he is with the American people. The President is on a course to bankrupt the nation and will leave us holding a $407 billion deficit. Sadly, the largest two-year deficit in U.S. history occurred during this Administration.

The American people are in for a much tougher time under this proposed budget. Mr. Bush plans to cut critical programs such as Medicare and Medicaid by $196 billion and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program by $570 million. The President's budget fails our children by cutting education, early literacy programs, and under-funding the state children's health insurance program.

The Bush budget weakens homeland security by slashing funds to states and local governments by $137 million. And no funding is budgeted for the Edward Byrne JAG program for local, anti-crime initiatives. This budget cuts the Centers for Disease Control by $433 million and the Environmental Protection Agency by $330 million. The President, I'm certain, has low balled the cost of the Iraq war. And while he offers lip service to our troops, he proposes to increase the cost of their health care and prescription drugs.

In this time of economic downturn, I am appalled by the President's $3 trillion plus budget. He is asking for more money than ever before but it will not help the taxpayers he is obligated to serve. Rather, it will compound the pressures on families, local governments and the environment even more.

Thankfully, this is Mr. Bush's last budget. It is unfortunate that in two terms as President, he never, ever ‘got it'.

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