Why Is No One Raising Hell About The Bush Budget?
By Vince Leibowitz
[This post has been updated. Click on "read more" link for updates.]
On Friday, the White House released a 233-page document detailing the impact of President Bush's budget cuts.
They released the list on Friday just in time for it to get lost in the weekend news cycles. Of course, the administration didn't really want to release the details of the cuts until someone asked, via Reuters:
The White House provided the list in response to a request from House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, an Iowa Republican.
The Bush budget cut $420 million in grants, training and other assistance programs that the Homeland Security Department issues for state and local governments.
[...]
Another $146 million would be cut from job training grants to states and local governments under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Bush has long argued the need for job training programs to meet the needs of a changing economy.
The OMB said the Workforce Investment Act needs comprehensive reforms because currently "governors have too little control and flexibility, and programs do not train workers for jobs in high-growth industries.
Bush would cut $145 million in funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, a civil construction program long cited by critics as a prime source of congressional pork.
The OMB said the Corps currently has a $50 billion backlog of authorized construction work.
A $497 million cut was made in federal assistance to the nation's airports for repairing runways and other facilities. The administration also said airports could make up some of the money through passenger fees.
Also in the budget was a $39 million cut in funds for taxpayer assistance, which the White House said could be absorbed because of increased efficiency.
A number of education programs were slated to get no funding at all in 2006, including the Even Start family literacy program and the Perkins loan program that gives money to colleges and universities to make low-interest loans available to needy students.
A program to help communities hire more police officers would be abolished under the budget as would a program that provides block grants to help improve the juvenile justice system.
According to the report itself (which is actually on the OMB Website, with--not surprisingly--no link from the press area of the White House Site) notes:
Terminations of Discretionary Programs in 2006
99 programs terminated in the 2006 Budget
59 of those terminations have been proposed in previous years
$8.8 billion savings over 2005 Enacted
Major Program Reductions in 2006
55 programs have major reductions in the 2006 Budget
27 of those reductions have been proposed in previous years
$6.5 billion savings over 2005 Enacted
Major Reform Proposals
16 programs have major reform proposals
$4.7 billion savings in 2006 over 2005 Enacted
$2.9 billion in costs in 2006 over 2005 Enacted
Some of the actual cuts in the proposal are just downright stupid.
For example, the program plans to eleminate the Safe and Drug Free Schools State Grants Program. Instead, the administration proposes increasing funding for the National SDFS program, claiming this will "support projects with measurable outcomes and strong accountability mechanisms to help ensure that Federal funding in the area produces positive results."
The budget also eleminates HSRA Emergency Medical Services for Children grants, which sends money to states to help improve EMS care for kids.
Evidently, though, Bush decided our children ain't healing right or something, because he slashed the program:
The 2006 Budget proposes no funding for Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC)program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The EMSC program has not demonstrated that its activities have led to improvements in the health outcomes of children and adolescents who have required emergency medical care. The objectives of this program can
be achieved by States through programs funded by the much larger ($724 million in 2006) Maternal and Child Health Block Grant.
I'm sure emergency room physicians and pediatric ER nurses everywhere would disagree.
And, of course, it wouldn't be a Republican budget without trying to screw the poor out of housing. Bush slashed the HUD program Revitilization of Seriously Distressed Public Housing, claiming it had exceeded its goals and was too slow:
The 2006 Budget proposes to terminate the HOPE VI program. The
program has surpassed its primary goal to demolish 100,000 severely distressed public housing units by 2003. While the
program has achieved success in removing dangerous public housing, the 2005 PART analysis showed the program to be slow at completing construction and more costly than other programs that serve the same population. The Budget proposes to cancel 2005 funding for this program (and requests no further funding in 2006) and to redirect the dollars to more cost-effective alternatives such as Section 8 Tenant-based Rental Assistance.
I guess, since 1992 and 2005, no existing public housing structures have become "dangerous." That's nice to know. As for putting that money in Section 8, I've always thought Section 8 was a much more expensive option for housing the poor than actual public housing or subsidized apartment complexes. Guess I'm wrong again.
One cut in particular that really burns me up (no pun intended) is cuts to the Rural Fire Assistance program. I live in a rural area served by a rural VFD, as does everyone in Van Zandt County. Even the city volunteer departments are classified as such.
But, Bush says:
The 2006 Budget proposes to terminate the Rural Fire Assistance program. The program is duplicative of other fire assistance grant programs. The items and activities funded by these
grants could be funded with existing Department of Homeland Security and Forest Service grant funding. Instead, the Department of the Interior will focus more of its fire preparedness resources on training and certification of local firefighters so that they are qualified to assist with fires on Federal lands.
The White House claims this program is duplicative because the Department of Homeland Security also has a similar program. If anyone in the Bush administration bothered to wander into a rural firehouse in the past decade, they wouldn't be cutting this program. Rural firefighters put their lives on the line just like paid big city firefighters do--with less equipment, old trucks, and the best training they can get/afford.
And, Bush wants to cut Community Oriented Policing (COPS) grant funding, a Clinton administration program to put 100,000 new police officers on the street, saying it's served its purpose (118,000 officers):
The 2006 Budget proposes to terminate the COPS Hiring Grant program as have previous Administration budgets. The program has accomplished its goals. The lack of demonstrated
results as well as a crime rate at an historic low call into question continued funding for the program. The Budget proposes to cancel funding for this program and to redirect the dollars to other higher priority programs.
What a load! Community policing is not a high priority program for this administration? Again, come to a town or county that has benefitted from these programs, Mr. President. Furthermore, given the fact that 9/11 has happened and his administration has previously said all local police agencies share in the homeland security burden, is it really wise to cut this program? This program is a drop in the budgetary bucket.
The budget also cut a Department of Labor program, Reintegration of Youthful Offenders, which helped offenders under 35 get job training. It replaces the permanent program with a four-year program.
What is so dumb about this cut is that in the very document explaining the reason why the program is cut...
The 2006 Budget proposes to terminate earmarked funding for the Reintegration of Youthful Offenders program, and better serve this population through the President’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative. Proposed in the 2004 State of the Union address and the 2005 Budget, this four-year initiative will offer a range of job training, housing, and mentoring services and harness the experience of faith-based and community organizations. The 2006 Budget includes $75 million in new funding for the President’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative to address the problems faced by ex-offenders in a more effective way, through services provided by the Departments of Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice.
...it expounds on the very need for such a program:
More than 600,000 offenders are released from prisons each year and face multiple barriers upon their return to society, including inadequate job skills and housing. Approximately two-thirds of prisoners are re-arrested within three years of their release, and half return to prison during that same period.
Perhaps they wouldn't return to prison if they had adequate job skills and housing? Duh!
These are just a few of the program eleminations. I could go on for hours about the rest of the eleminations--not to mention the cuts.
I know the privitization of Social Security is taking up a lot of media attention, but I think this is deserving of some, too.
I've noticed mentions in magazines, editorials, and on blogs of late that Bush is trying to eleminate all of the good things of Roosvelt's New Deal and Johnson's Great Society.
For those of you among us who also remember the 1990s and the Clinton Administration, Clinton fought for the enaction of a number of important programs like COPS. Granted, they may not have been as groundbreaking as New Deal or Great Society programs, but they are just as important to the welfare of our country.
Essentially, the Bush administration is attempting a wholesale slaughter of major programs enacted by during three of the most domestic-policy progressive Democratic administrations in American history.
And what are we going to do about this?
Of course, we can't expect our Governor or either of our U.S. Senators to raise hell about this. They're all Bush Republicans. But, I'd think at least a few State Senators and State Reps--especially those in communities which benefitted from the very programs Bush is trying to cut--would have something to say about this. Hopefully, over the course of the next few weeks, they will.
Update: Via AP, here is a comprehensive list of budget cuts:
TERMINATED:
- Agriculture Department
AMS Biotechnology Program
Forest Service Economic Action Program
High Cost Energy Grants
NRCS Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations
Research and Extension Grant Earmarks and Low Priority Programs
- Commerce Department
Advanced Technology Program
Emergency Steel Guarantee Loan Program
Public Telecommunications Facilities, Planning and Construction Program
- Education Department
Comprehensive School Reform
Educational Technology State Grants
Even Start
(High School Program Terminations:)
Vocational Education State Grants
Vocational Education National Activities
Tech Prep State Grants
Upward Bound
Talent Search
GEAR UP
Smaller Learning Communities
Perkins Loans: Capital Contributions and Loan Cancellations
Regional Education Laboratories
Safe and Drug Free Schools State Grants
(Small Elementary and Secondary Education Programs:)
Javits Gifted and Talented Education
National Writing Project
School Leadership
Dropout Prevention Program
Close Up Fellowships
Ready to Teach
Parental Information and Resource Centers
Alcohol Abuse Reduction
Foundations for Learning
Mental Health Integration in Schools
Community Technology Centers
Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners
Foreign Language Assistance
Excellence in Economic Education
Arts in Education
Women's Educational Equity
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling
Civic Education
Star Schools
(Smaller Higher Education Programs:)
Higher Education Demos for Students w/Disabilities
Underground Railroad Program
Interest Subsidy Grants
(Small Job Training and Adult Education Programs:)
Occupational and Employment Information
Tech-prep Demonstration
Literacy Programs for Prisoners
State Grants for Incarcerated Youth
(Small Postsecondary Student Financial Assistance Programs:)
LEAP
Byrd Scholarships
B.J. Stupak Olympic Scholarships
Thurgood Marshall Legal Opportunity
(Small Vocational Rehabilitation Programs:)
Vocational Rehabilitation Recreational Programs
Vocational Rehab (VR) Migrant and Seasonal Workers
Projects with Industry
Supported Employment
Teacher Quality Enhancement Program
- Energy Department
Hydropower Program
Nuclear Energy Plant Optimization
Nuclear Energy Research Initiative
Oil and Gas Programs
- Health and Human Services Department
ACF Community Service Programs
ACF Early Learning Opportunities Fund
CDC Congressional Earmarks
CDC Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant
CDC Youth Media Campaign
Direct Service Worker Delivery Grants
HRSA Emergency Medical Services for Children
HRSA Health Facilities Construction Congressional Earmarks
HRSA Healthy Community Access Program
HRSA State Planning Grant Program
HRSA Trauma Care
HRSA Traumatic Brain Injury
HRSA Universal Newborn Hearing Screening
Real Choice Systems Change Grants
- Housing and Urban Development Department
HOPE VI
- Interior Department
BLM Jobs-in-the-Woods Program
LWCF State Recreation Grants (NPS)
National Park Service Statutory Aid
Rural Fire Assistance (BLM, NPS, FWS, BIA)
- Justice Department
Byrne Discretionary Grants
Byrne Justice Assistance Grants
COPS Hiring Grants
COPS Interoperable Communications Technology Grants
COPS Law Enforcement Technology Grants
Juvenile Accountability Block Grants
National Drug Intelligence Center
Other State/Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program Terminations
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP)
- Labor Department
Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Training Program
Reintegration of Youthful Offenders
- Transportation Department
National Defense Tank Vessel Construction Program
Railroad Rehabilitation Infrastructure Financing Loan Program
- Enviromental Protection Agency
Unrequested Projects
Water Quality Cooperative Agreements
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Hubble Space Telescope Robotic Servicing Mission
- Other Agencies
National Veterans Business Development Corporation
Postal Service: Revenue Forgone Appropriation
SBA: Microloan Program
SBA: Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Participating Securities Program
MAJOR REDUCTIONS:
- Agriculture Department
Federal (In-House) Research
Forest Service Capital Improve and Maintenance
Forest Service Wildland Fire Management (incl. supp. and emergency funding)
Biomass Research and Development
Broadband
CCC - Bioenergy
CCC - Market Access Program
Farm Bill Programs (EQIP
Farm Bill Programs (CSP)
Farm Bill Programs (WHIP)
Farm Bill Program (Farm and Ranchland Protection)
Farm Bill Programs (Ag. Management Assistance)
IFAS
Renewable Energy
Rural Firefighter Grants
Rural Strategic Investment Program
Rural Business Investment Program
Value-added Grants
Watershed Rehabilitation
NRCS Conservation Operations
NRCS Resource Conservation and Development Program
Water and Wastewater Grants and Loans
- Commerce Department
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
- Education Department
Adult Education State Grants
State Grants for Innovation
- Energy Department
Environmental Management
- Health and Human Services Department
HRSA Children's Hospitals GME Payment Program
HRSA Health Professions
HRSA Rural Health
SAMHSA Programs of Regional and National Significance
State, Local & Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Grants
- Housing and Urban Development Department
Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Native American Housing Block Grant
Public Housing Capital Fund
- Interior Department
Bureau of Indian Affairs School Construction
National Heritage Area Grants
Payments in Lieu of Taxes
USGS, Mineral Resources Program
- Justice Department
Federal Bureau of Prisons Construction Program
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program
Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement Assistance Programs
- Labor Department
International Labor Affairs Bureau
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Workforce Investment Act Pilots and Demonstrations
- State Department
Assistance for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union
- Transportation Department
FAA - Facilities and Equipment
FAA - Airport Improvement Program (Oblim)
FRA - Next Generation High Speed Rail
- Treasury Department
Internal Revenue Service - Taxpayer Service
- Environmental Protection Agency
Alaska Native Villages
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Aeronautics: Vehicle Systems Program
Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter
- Other Agencies
Archives: National Historical Publications & Records Commission
U.S. Institute of Peace, Construction of New Building
MAJOR REFORMS
Agriculture: Rural Telephone Bank
Commerce: Economic and Community Development Programs
Homeland Security: State and Local Homeland Security Grants
Homeland Security: Transportation Security Administration, Recover Aviation Security Screening Costs Through Fees
Labor: Job Training Reform, Consolidate Grants Program
Transportation: Amtrak
Army Corps of Engineers (Civil Works): Performance Guidelines for Funding Construction Projects
U.S. Agency for International Development and Department of Agriculture: International Food Aid
Vince Leibowitz is County Chairman of the Democratic Party of Van Zandt County.
Posted by Vince Leibowitz at February 13, 2005 08:53 PM
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