A Budget for America's Future
Another season of budget debates is underway in Washington. This year new challenges are shaping the discussion. The war on terrorism, a continuing resolve to support successful domestic programs and maintaining a firm commitment to fiscal responsibility mean serious work ahead.
On February 4, President Bush submitted his budget for America to Congress. With nearly $2.1 trillion in spending, supporting everything from Social Security to the nation's federal parklands, this budget provides Congress with an excellent framework for meeting America's needs in 2003.
The proposed funding increases for programs and agencies dedicated to fighting terrorism here at home and abroad are both necessary and responsible. Our military has shown the world that America is no paper tiger, but a decade of decreased defense funding is catching up with us. This budget provides the resources necessary to strengthen our armed forces and build better homeland security. Protecting Americans and defeating a well-funded, widely dispersed international terrorist network will require an ongoing commitment.
The events of the past months have slowed economic expansion. By speeding up tax reductions for hard working Americans, specifically for low and middle income families and increasing job training resources and unemployment benefits for those who have lost their jobs, we can spur job growth and new investment. That is exactly what the President's budget will do.
No less important, the President's budget supports an additional $190 billion to strengthen Medicare with a prescription drug benefit for seniors and includes funding to expand the number of community health centers by 1,200, serving an additional 6.1 million Americans. These measures will go a long way toward improving healthcare in America.
These are just a few of the initiatives that Congress will debate over the course of the year, but they are worthy of mention and deserve support. With careful management of taxpayer dollars I am confident we can successfully meet the nation's needs while taking active steps to ignite economic growth and defeat terrorism.
