Show me the Money: The Senate Debates Your Budget

If you’re concerned about the quality of education in your neighborhood, consider this:

On March 14, 2005, the Senate voted down an amendment that would have saved 48 education programs marked for elimination by President Bush’s budget proposal.

The amendment, sponsored by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D - New Mexico), would have maintained these programs at 2005 funding levels, but it was rejected along party lines at 49-44.

Cuts to education

All Democrats present and three Republicans (Mike DeWine of Ohio, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island) voted to bring back education dollars that they consider essential for children, teachers, college students, and parents.

The Bush budget eliminates programs like Upward Bound and GEAR UP, which help low-income high school students prepare for college. Mr. Bush also cuts $1.3 billion for vocational education and another $370 million for adult education. Overall, the education cuts amount to $4.8 billion.

During the debate, Edward Kennedy (D- Massachusetts) pointed out that the Bush plan spends on education only two cents for every budget dollar. According to Kennedy, this ratio is much smaller than it was 50 years ago.

Fiscal restraint

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R - Tennessee) said that the education cuts are necessary if Bush wants to keep his promise of cutting the federal deficit in half in the next five years.

Even with the cuts, Frist says, the government will probably spend $7.7 trillion over the next five years. Democrats say that the total is likely to be higher since the costs for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan aren’t included in the budget proposal.

Democrats are in favor of fiscal restraint as well, but they prefer to discontinue tax cuts rather than cut education, healthcare, and social programs.

New education spending

During the debate, Republicans argued that the Bush proposal increases education spending. More accurately, the Bush budget transfers $1.5 billion from the eliminated programs to the controversial No Child Left Behind program, which requires states to test students annually in exchange for federal funds.

The extra dollars would allow No Child Left Behind to expand into high schools; currently, No Child Left Behind pertains to grades 3 through 8 only.

Further, Republicans would like to enhance Pell grants by cutting Perkins loans. Pell grants for lower-income students don’t have to be repaid, whereas Perkins loans provide low-interest, long-term loans. Democrats prefer to see both programs remain in place, since many students may not be able to get loans from private lenders.

As the budget debate rages on in the Senate, Democrats will continue to offer amendments on everything from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to healthcare. In this way, the Democrats as the minority party will try to get some Republicans to join their point of view. If the amendments fail, then at least the rest of the nation will know where the opposition stands - if the press reports the information. Through WomenMatter we will know how each member of Congress voted on each issue.

Other cuts

In addition to education cuts, President Bush’s budget proposal slashes Medicaid funding and assumes revenue from oil retrieved from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Both of these provisions are highly contentious, and both Republicans and Democrats oppose the $14 billion in Medicaid cuts. In fact, Republican Gordon H. Smith of Oregon has proposed an amendment to prevent the cuts.

Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell of Washington and John Kerry of Massachusetts plan to introduce an amendment that would prevent Republicans from using special rules to pass legislation that would open ANWR to oil exploration. If the Democrats’ amendment isn’t adopted, Republicans will prevent the minority from filibustering by allowing legislation to pass on a simple majority vote; this is called the reconciliation process and it will be used to approve drilling in ANWR.

What are your priorities?

The federal budget is all about priorities - what do you consider most important and most worthy of your tax dollars?

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Posted on: 3/16/2005