Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) today voted for the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget conference report which increases funding for our veterans while investing in education, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure.
"I am proud that our budget increases veterans' health care by $4.9 billion and rejects the President's proposed fees on our wounded warriors," Hare said.
The Democratic budget restores over $550 billion for Medicare and Medicaid. It provides substantially more than the President for vital education, job training, and other social services. It includes a $50 billion increase for children's health insurance. Finally, it invests $7.7 billion in renewable energy programs and $2 billion to create "green collar jobs."
"President Bush would like nothing more than to continue paying for the war in Iraq by draining resources away from programs vital to working families," Hare said. "The Democratic budget reverses that trend by investing in the priorities of the American people again."