Sessions Backs President's 2006 Budget

Sessions Backs President's 2006 Budget
Applauds fiscal responsibility, results-oriented funding plan

Washington, Feb 7 - U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) today made the following statement regarding the President's fiscal year (FY 2006) budget request.

"With his 2006 budget proposal, President Bush has provided Congress with a fiscally responsible roadmap to address the challenges we face while also adequately funding our most important priorities. The President's budget request addresses our growing economic and national and homeland security priorities while holding discretionary spending to less than the rate of inflation with the intent of cutting the deficit in half by 2009.

"I was particularly interested in the President's proposal to substantially reduce or eliminate wasteful government programs that are no longer serving their purpose. In his State of the Union address, the President stated that there are currently more than 150 such programs.

"For example, the President's budget proposal greatly reduces federal funding for Amtrak with the intent of significantly reorganizing passenger rail in our country. In its 35-year history, Amtrak has cost the taxpayers nearly $30 billion in operating subsidies, yet its aging rails and lack of infrastructure upgrades have not only failed to generate revenue, they have also created safety risks.

"In 2003, I offered an amendment that would have limited federal funding of Amtrak to only those routes that return at least 50 cents in revenue for every dollar spent in operating costs. The President's proposal goes further, and it is an important step toward results-oriented government spending.

"As Chairman of the Results Caucus and a member of the Budget Committee, I intend to monitor Amtrak and other wasteful programs to ensure that Congress does all it can to act responsibly with taxpayer money."

http://sessions.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=6728