Republicans Threaten Deep Cuts for
Communities, Seniors and Families
Working toward making good on a campaign promise to cut $100 billion in federal spending, this week Republicans announced a list of proposed cuts for the fiscal year that ends on September 30, 2011.
While there is no question that Congress must achieve greater fiscal discipline, this proposal will cost jobs, undercut American innovation and clean energy, jeopardize our safety by taking cops off the street, and threaten investments in rebuilding America - at a time when our economy can least afford it.
We must cut spending and reduce the deficit, but our first focus must be on waste, fraud and abuse - not cuts that threaten seniors, the middle class and our economy.
Among the devastating cuts being sought:
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Contingency fund -$400 million
- Community Health Centers -$1.3 billion
- Rural Development Programs -$237 million
- Maternal and Child Health Block Grants -$210 million
- Farm Service Agency -$201 million
- Agriculture Research -$246 million
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) -$758 million
- State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance -$256 million
- Juvenile Justice -$2.3 million
- Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) -$600 million
- Job Training Programs -$2 billion
- Community Services Block Grant -$405 million
- HUD Community Development Fund -$530 million
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services -$96 million
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund -$700 million
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund -$250 million
- EPA Brownfields -$48 million
- Minority Business Development Agency -$2 million
- Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies -$30 million
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy -$899 million
- Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability -$49 million
- Nuclear Energy -$169 million
- Clean Coal Technology -$18 million
- Strategic Petroleum Reserve -$15 million
- Economic Development Assistance -$16 million
- Legal Services Corporation -$75 million
- Food Safety and Inspection Services -$53 million
- Natural Resource Conservation Service -$46 million
- Land and Water Conservation Fund -$348 million
- ENERGY STAR -$7.4 million
Please know that these cuts would have a strong and lasting affect on eastern North Carolina as we work to grow our economy, develop our infrastructure and strengthen our communities.
Next week, President Obama will send Congress a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2012. While this budget will certain contain deep and painful cuts, I am very hopeful that they will be mindful of working families and the efforts to improve our economy and communities.
