Van Hollen Statement on Passage of the Budget Conference Report

Statement

Today, Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Assistant to the Speaker, issued the following statement on House passage of the FY10 Budget Conference Report:

"The budget agreement passed today marks an important milestone on our road to economic recovery, and is a long-term economic plan to make America stronger, grow our economy and create jobs. It makes priority, forward-looking investments in the vital areas of education, health care and clean energy while providing $1.7 trillion in tax relief for middle class families. It's also fiscally responsible, taking the $1 trillion deficit President Obama inherited and slashing it by two-thirds over the next four years.

"With President Obama's leadership, we are on our way to creating the next era of genuine, broadly shared American prosperity. But we must create a rock solid foundation for economic growth. That is why this budget invests $100 billion in education — expanding early childhood development programs, improving K-12 and special education and increasing access to college. It creates a deficit-neutral reserve fund to finally provide high quality, affordable health care for every American. It also increases federal funding for clean energy by 10 percent.

"And it finally represents honest accounting. Rather than hiding the true cost of our military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan or our domestic response to natural disasters, this conference report builds them right into the agreement. Additionally, this budget reaffirms the House's continued commitment to fiscal discipline by requiring statutory PAYGO.

"It will take some time to turn around the economic fallout from the failed policies of the last eight years, but this honest, properly prioritized and fiscally responsible budget agreement is a key piece of the comprehensive plan to move America in a New Direction."

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