Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) recently voted for a measure that helps clean-up the budget mess Republicans left behind at the end of last year and funds the federal government through Fiscal Year 2007. The majority of the federal government has been operating on a temporary extension of funding from Fiscal Year 2006 - known as a continuing resolution - because Republicans failed to pass 9 of the 11 Fiscal Year 2007 appropriations bills last year when they controlled Congress.
The measure the House approved, generally funds the government at the Fiscal Year 2006 level (adjusted for increased pay costs), and also addresses some vital areas that were neglected in the Fiscal Year 2006 numbers. While adhering to the spending limit Congress established last year, the resolution invests in key priority items such as veterans and military health care, education, health care, science research, housing and transportation.
“Republicans left behind an extraordinary amount of unfinished business and this bill helps address that mess as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Hinchey said. “Democrats literally could spend the next four or five months focused on sorting out the mess that Republicans left behind, but if we were to do so we’d lose valuable time needed to address funding for next year, including a much-needed debate on funding for activities in Iraq. This funding measure is the most efficient way of moving forward, and also does a good job of increasing spending on some of our country’s most important needs. Today’s bill allows us to close the door on the incompetency Republicans displayed while they controlled Congress and finally move forward to address the wide array of issues that we were sent to Washington to address.”
As part of the funding bill, Hinchey and his fellow Democrats are also keeping their promise to the American people and suspending pay raises for members of Congress for at least the remainder of the fiscal year, and until a minimum wage increase is approved in both the House and Senate. The House passed a minimum wage increase, but the Senate has not done so yet.
While adjusting for increased costs, the spending measure passed recently simply extends the funding levels of Fiscal Year 2006. However, Democrats did address some critical areas that needed a greater increase. Specifically, the bill:
Increases funding for veterans health care by $3.6 billion to provide health care for 325,000 veterans.
Fully funds 31,359 positions, including 12,213 agents, and 2,577 intelligence analysts, thereby raising the number of intelligence analysts at the FBI to twice the level employed at the agency on 9/11.
Helps more than 5.3 million students pay for college through an increase in the Pell Grant.
Provides increased special education grants to better serve the 6.9 million children in America with disabilities.
Delivers new funding for 6,700 schools that have been failing to meet students’ needs and increases funding for Head Start.
Finances the construction of 300 new or expanded health centers that will serve 1.2 million new patients.
Funds an additional 500 research projects through the National Institutes of Health.
Provides housing assistance for 227,000 individuals and families through a $1.4 billion increase for Section 8 housing program.
The Senate is also voting on the same funding bill that the House approved. President Bush’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2008 and the largest supplemental request ever for funding in Iraq will be sent to Congres, which is why Democrats wanted to wrap up Fiscal Year 2007 matters. Pictured Above: Congressman Maurice Hinchey
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