President Bush's Proposed 2004 Budget

PRESIDENT BUSH'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2004
Statement of Senator Chris Dodd

February 3, 2003

There's not a lot to praise in this budget - but at first glance - the best thing that can be said about it is it appears to provide desperately needed resources for defense and some elements of homeland security. But considering that our nation's economy is ailing—it's definitely not the right prescription for a speedy recovery. In fact, it misses the mark and continues to dig us into an ever-increasing economic hole that piles up debt at the expense of our nation's future. In particular, it's outrageous that the President has made it a priority to not only make his irresponsible 2001 tax cut permanent, which robs the treasury of an additional $1.3 trillion dollars, but he is also proposing an additional $670 billion tax cut that will put more than $88,000 in the pockets of millionaires while under-funding critical social programs that millions of families across America depend on.

And all you have to do is look at his education budget to judge his priorities. It highlights the growing gap between the President's rhetoric and his actions. The President says he wants to leave no child behind, but not only does this budget include an increase over his FY 2003 budget that's much less than half the average increase in education funding from 1997 through 2002, it actually includes a 6 percent cut from the FY 2003 Omnibus bill just passed by the Senate. The budget also is more than $6 billion short of meeting the promise that the President and Congress made to low-income schools under the bipartisan reforms the President signed just last year. This is more critical than ever given state budget cuts. Telling schools that they have to do better without giving them the resources they need to do better doesn't make any sense. And, at the rate of increase in the President's budget for special education, we will never meet our promise to states and towns to fund 40 percent of special education costs - which means that states and towns will continue to have to make up the difference.

I am also concerned that the President's plan for Medicare reform will signal an end to this critical program as we know it. The plan assumed by this budget will force the more than 40 million seniors to choose to leave the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program if they are to have access to coverage for pharmaceuticals provided by Medicare health maintenance organizations. No senior should be forced to leave the traditional Medicare program that serves them well in order to access medicine. Any pharmaceutical benefit under Medicare should be available to ALL beneficiaries.

Also, the President can't be for homeland security and be against firefighters. Firefighters do more than anyone to protect our citizens from the risk of terrorism and not to mention man made disasters. The President's proposed budget will likely result in a dramatic cut in direct funding for local fire departments. That is inexcusable.

It is also distressing to see the President choose not to fully fund election reforms, but instead provide only half - $490 million - of what Congress authorized. That's sending the wrong signal to our states and towns, who are desperately in need of resources to help them enact critically important reforms.

I am pleased however to see the President provide increased resources for a strong and vibrant military. The men and women in our armed services are being called upon to do a very difficult job in defense of democracy and freedom and they ought to have our full support. This budget - whether in the air, undersea, or on the ground - provides resources to help them do the job. And because Connecticut workers continue to build the best technology our nation has to offer, that means a renewed commitment to our state, which is good both for our national defense and our economy.

However, on balance, the President's overall budgetary blueprint is definitely one that needs to be sent back to the drawing room. I intend to work to improve it in the coming days, weeks and months ahead.