NASW Government Relations Action Alert

March 22, 2006

Budget Update – Senate Budget Bill Adds $7 Billion to Domestic Discretionary Funding; House to Act Next

Issue

Thanks to the intensive advocacy by social workers and other concerned individuals, the U.S. Senate passed a budget resolution bill that added more than $10 billion in FY 2007 domestic discretionary spending to the level recommended by the President, eliminating the need for cuts in this area.

Senators Specter and Harkin proposed an amendment on the floor to increase the appropriations allowance for domestic discretionary funding by $7 billion that passed by a vote of 73-27. You can see how your Senator voted on Vote Number 58. This is a tremendous show of bipartisan support for social service, health, and education programs such as the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program, HIV/AIDS Services, Head Start, and childcare.

The Senate adopted its $2.8 trillion fiscal 2007 budget resolution on a 51-49 vote. You can see how your Senator voted on Vote Number 74. Unlike last year, the Senate budget resolution does not require cuts to entitlement programs. Despite these positive notes, the budget still includes significant tax cuts without offsets and thus would increase the deficit substantially over the next five years.

After returning from the March recess, the House will be debating their version of the budget resolution. In sharp contrast to the Senate, the House Budget Committee is expected to unveil a far more draconian budget resolution that could include a new round of deep cuts in domestic programs. Also, through the reconciliation process, the House may require cuts in entitlement programs and at the same time include additional unpaid-for tax cuts.

Action Requested

The House Budget Committee is scheduled to take up its version of the budget during the week of March 27, and it is expected to be on the House floor the week of April 3. Please contact your Member of Congress and ask them to:

Insist on a budget resolution that rejects the President’s deep cuts to domestic discretionary programs and instead fund domestic discretionary programs at levels equivalent to the greater level provided in the Senate budget resolution.

Refuse to support a budget resolution that requires reconciliation to enact entitlement cuts or the Administration’s tax cuts.

You can send a pre-drafted letter to your member through NASW’s Congress Web at www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/grassroots/congressweb.asp.

Additional Information

The following House members are members of the Budget Committee. If your representative is on this committee, please make every effort to contact him or her.

Thank you,

Dina L. Zarrella, MSS, MLSP
NASW Senior Field Organizer
202-336-8218

750 First Street, NE • Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20002-4241
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