steven
February 2nd, 2006, 06:38 AM
House Sends Bush Deficit-Reduction Bill
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The budget-cutting bill awaiting President Bush's signature may only make a small dent in the nation's huge deficit, but he is expected to propose more cuts in his 2007 plan, including farm subsidies, Medicaid and Medicare.
The House on Wednesday sent Bush a major bill cutting benefit programs like Medicaid and student loan subsidies. The president is ready to sign the bill and move on to next year's budget cycle.
On Feb. 6, he is releasing his 2007 budget plan, which is likely to call for new cuts to benefits programs like farm subsidies, Medicaid, food stamps and Medicare. Many lawmakers and budget experts are skeptical, though, of the chances for another budget-cut bill during an election year.
The House passed the bill 216-214 on Wednesday, mostly along party lines. It was Congress' first attempt in eight years to slow the growth of benefit programs like Medicaid and student loan subsidies.
Republicans hailed the five-year, $39 billion budget-cutting bill as an important first step to restoring discipline on spending.
"Once again, House Republicans are on record as defending budget discipline," said Acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt, R-Mo. "We have achieved $39 billion in savings, while streamlining government."
Democrats attacked the measure as an assault on college students and Medicaid patients and said powerful Washington lobbyists had too much influence on it.
"As the Republican budget ax fell on the poor and students, powerful special interests were cutting special deals in the conference committee," said Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
AARP is opposed to a provision tightening Medicaid nursing home care rules regarding people who shed assets to qualify for such care.
Pediatricians say provisions allowing states to eliminate some guaranteed Medicaid child health care services and charge new and increased co-payments would end up hurting children by driving tens of thousands of beneficiaries out of the program.
Student groups charged the bill harmed college student through $11.9 billion in cuts to the student loan program, including higher fees on student and higher interest rates on parent loans. But Republicans countered that the lions share of the savings came from lender subsidies and that much of the savings was channeled into a grant program for low-income college students studying math, science or specialty languages.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUDGET_CUTS?SITE=NYBUE&SECTION=HOME
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The budget-cutting bill awaiting President Bush's signature may only make a small dent in the nation's huge deficit, but he is expected to propose more cuts in his 2007 plan, including farm subsidies, Medicaid and Medicare.
The House on Wednesday sent Bush a major bill cutting benefit programs like Medicaid and student loan subsidies. The president is ready to sign the bill and move on to next year's budget cycle.
On Feb. 6, he is releasing his 2007 budget plan, which is likely to call for new cuts to benefits programs like farm subsidies, Medicaid, food stamps and Medicare. Many lawmakers and budget experts are skeptical, though, of the chances for another budget-cut bill during an election year.
The House passed the bill 216-214 on Wednesday, mostly along party lines. It was Congress' first attempt in eight years to slow the growth of benefit programs like Medicaid and student loan subsidies.
Republicans hailed the five-year, $39 billion budget-cutting bill as an important first step to restoring discipline on spending.
"Once again, House Republicans are on record as defending budget discipline," said Acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt, R-Mo. "We have achieved $39 billion in savings, while streamlining government."
Democrats attacked the measure as an assault on college students and Medicaid patients and said powerful Washington lobbyists had too much influence on it.
"As the Republican budget ax fell on the poor and students, powerful special interests were cutting special deals in the conference committee," said Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
AARP is opposed to a provision tightening Medicaid nursing home care rules regarding people who shed assets to qualify for such care.
Pediatricians say provisions allowing states to eliminate some guaranteed Medicaid child health care services and charge new and increased co-payments would end up hurting children by driving tens of thousands of beneficiaries out of the program.
Student groups charged the bill harmed college student through $11.9 billion in cuts to the student loan program, including higher fees on student and higher interest rates on parent loans. But Republicans countered that the lions share of the savings came from lender subsidies and that much of the savings was channeled into a grant program for low-income college students studying math, science or specialty languages.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUDGET_CUTS?SITE=NYBUE&SECTION=HOME
-----------------------------------------------------------------------