Federal Budget Resolution Cuts
Programs Supported by NASW
May 4, 2005
On April 28, 2005 , Congress narrowly passed the FY2006 Budget
Resolution cutting many key programs important to NASW and
the social work profession. The budget totals $2.6 trillion.
The House adopted the conference report (H Con Res 95, H Rept
109-62) by a vote of 214-211; the Senate voted 52-47 for adoption.
This budget resolution will serve as a blueprint for further
legislation that will be developed into more specific cuts
in appropriations and reconciliation bills that will follow
later this year.
In the House, all 195 Democrats, 1 Independent, and 15 Republicans
voted against the conference report; all those voting in favor
were Republicans. The fifteen House Republicans voting no were
Bass (NH-2), Boehlert (NY-24), Castle (DE-AL), Goode (VA-5),
Green (WI-8), Gutknecht (MN-1), Johnson (CT-5), Johnson (IL-15),
Jones (NC-3), Leach (IA-2), LoBiondo (NJ-2), Ramstad (MN-3),
Saxton (NJ-3), Shays (CT-4), and Simmons (CT-2).
In the Senate, 43 Democrats, 1 Independent, and 3 Republicans
voted against the conference report, while those who voted
in favor were Republicans. The three Senate Republicans voting
no were Chafee (RI), DeWine (OH), and Voinovich (OH).
NASW opposed a number of issues that remain in the final budget
resolution; however, our advocacy was still very effective
in deflecting even worse cuts as the House budget would have
cut twice as much as the final resolution. In particular, the
House had threatened at least $15 billion in cuts that
would have had to come out of some of the most vital low-income
programs - SSI, TANF, EITC, foster care and adoption, child
support, or child care. While cuts in those programs
are still possible, in the budget just approved, no such cuts
are required. That is a very important victory.
Despite cuts to mandatory and discretionary domestic programs,
the budget resolution would actually increase budget
deficits by $168 billion over five years, due to increased
tax cuts and defense spending. (Horney, J. CBPP, April 28,
2005 ).
Opportunities for Advocacy Will Continue
The budget resolution agreement includes instructions that
direct the relevant committees of the
House and Senate to report so-called “reconciliation” legislation
to achieve specified reductions in entitlement programs and
taxes. House and Senate committees are to report legislation
to achieve these entitlement cuts by September 16, 2005 (Horney,
J. CBPP, April 28, 2005 ).
The budget calls on members to reduce the cost of mandatory
(entitlement) programs for the first time since 1997, including
$34.7 billion in cuts from mandatory programs over five years.
This falls midway between the original House and Senate levels.
The Senate Finance Committee has been instructed to find $10
billion in cuts over five years. These will most likely come
from Medicaid spending, but may come from other programs within
the jurisdiction of the Committee. The House Energy and Commerce
Committee must come up with close to $15 billion in cuts. Again,
a top target is Medicaid, with additional cuts coming from
other programs under its jurisdiction.
The education committees are charged with finding approximately
$13 billion in cuts. Half are expected to come from pension-related
savings, but the rest will likely be found in student loan
programs, vocational rehabilitation, or child nutrition programs.
Agriculture committees will have to find $3 billion in cuts,
and members will have to decide how much should come from farm
programs as opposed to food stamps.
“The conference agreement assumes that funding for domestic
discretionary programs (programs outside of the defense and
international areas) will total $373 billion in 2006, representing
a cut of $23 billion (5.9 percent) below the level enacted
for 2005, adjusted for inflation…The cuts in discretionary
programs would affect practically every area of the domestic
budget. The budget agreement assumes, for example, that funding
for education and training programs would be cut by $35 billion
over five years, with a cut of 13.2 percent in 2010,” (Horney
, J. CBPP, April 28, 2005).
You will be hearing from NASW over the next several months
about actions needed on reconciliation legislation and discretionary
spending through the appropriations process.
For a more detailed account of the budget resolution, read
the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' article: “ Assessing
the Conference Agreement on the Budget Resolution,” by James
Horney at http://www.cbpp.org/4-28-05bud.htm |
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