{"article":{"id":137535,"heading":"Special Call-In Day - Urgent Budget Cuts Updfate","author":"Lynda Carson","created":"2005-10-21 10:57:36","modified":"2005-10-21 10:57:36","last_modified":"Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:57:36","article":"

October 20, 2005

GOP DELAYS VOTE IN AN EFFORT TO LOOT MORE THAN $50

BILLION FROM THE POOR

The GOP is scheming to starve the poor, in an effort

to please the rich.

Recent budget resolutions to meant to loot $35 BILLION

from the poor have been delayed.

Then the GOP decided to loot $50 BILLION instead of

$35 BILLION from the poor, and now that vote has been

put on hold.

Due to pressure from the American public, the GOP

decided to delay a vote on Thursday October 20, that

was intended to loot $50 BILLION from the nations

humanitarian domestic programs.

Now the weasels are actually scheming to loot even

more from the budgets of programs for the poor. See

the Bloomberg article below...

Looking for ways to off-set $70 BILLION in proposed

tax cuts for the SUPER RICH apparently is not so easy

while the eyes of the world is watching, and the GOP

has delayed the vote until next week.

Call your Representatives to make sure your voice is

heard in an effort to stop the GOP from looting the

nations domestic programs that serve the poor, elderly

and disabled.



Roll Back The Rents



National Call-In Days Extended Through Thursday,

October 20

For months, Congressional leaders have planned cuts in

Food Stamps, Medicaid and other important programs to

fund tax breaks for the well-off. This Thursday the

House of Representatives is expected to vote

on cutting even more in vital programs (like Medicaid,

Food Stamps, TANF, child welfare services, SSI,

unemployment insurance, child support, etc.), raising

the total cuts from $35 billion to $50 billion. Some

members in the Senate would also like to cut more.

But these efforts can be defeated - members of

Congress have started to hear the depth of

opposition to these arrogant proposals. Some

Congressional leaders are backing away from certain

cuts - because of your actions! Your calls will

keep it going!

Call the Capitol toll-free through Thursday: Tell

Congress to get its priorities straight!

1-800-426-8073 (thanks to American Friends Service

Committee for the toll-free number!)

Step 1: On October 17 or 18, call 1-800-426-8073 to be

connected toll-free to the Capitol Switchboard. Ask to

speak to your Representative.

Step 2: When the Representative's phone is answered,

say:

\"My name is __________________ and I live in [your

town\/city]. I would like Representative ___________ to

oppose $35 - $50 billion or more in cuts to Medicaid,

Food Stamps, and other vital services, and to oppose

$70 billion in more tax cuts.\"

\"The right priorities are protecting people from

sickness and hardship, investing in housing, jobs, and

other services that families need - not cutting those

services deeply and squandering billions on tax cuts

for the well-connected.\"

Step 3: Use the toll-free number in Step 1 and call

your two Senators. If the lines are busy, please be

patient and try again. It means many others are

speaking out in favor of the right priorities! Or,

dial their direct lines (not toll-free) - find the

numbers at www. senate.gov and www. house.gov

==================================================

Visit the CHN Jobs Page:

http:\/\/www.chn.org\/jobs\/index.html<\/a>



********

U.S. House Puts Off Vote Seeking $50 Billion in

Spending Cuts

Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. House Republicans, unable

to line up enough support for a budget-cutting plan

targeting programs such as food stamps, Medicaid and

student loans, put off a vote on the package until

next week.

House Republican leaders said late yesterday they now

want to include even more reductions in the measure,

such as across- the-board cuts to discretionary

spending, taking back money not yet spent from some

programs and permanently canceling 98 other programs.

The leaders had initially scheduled a vote today on a

plan that would cut federal benefit programs by $50

billion over five years. The plan, even if approved by

the House, is all but certain to be rejected in the

Senate, where there's less appetite for cutting social

programs.

``We have raised our sights beyond the $50 billion in

mandatory cuts,'' said House Majority Leader Roy

Blunt, a Missouri Republican.

Blunt said he isn't ready to eliminate a raise for

members of Congress as part of the budget-trimming.

``I'm personally supportive of a cost-of-living

increase for federal employees, and I think that

should include members of the Congress,'' he said.

House Republicans say the cuts are needed to reduce

the budget deficit and offset Hurricane Katrina

recovery costs. The cuts are part of a 2006 budget

plan Congress adopted in April. Democrats say

Republicans want the reductions to offset $70 billion

in tax cuts primarily for the wealthy that are also

part of the budget plan.

Budget Strategy

The provisions the House plans to vote on next week

are part of a budget-cutting strategy Republican

leaders outlined earlier this month. The vote was

postponed after some members objected to voting just

on the cuts to food stamps, Medicaid and student

loans, saying they want to be sure all agencies,

including the departments of Defense and Homeland

Security, would be considered for trims in

discretionary spending.

Many moderate Republicans have problems with targeting

cuts on students and the poor, said Representative

John Spratt of South Carolina, the senior Democrat on

the Budget Committee.

``I think the committees of jurisdiction don't have

any enthusiasm for the process,'' said Spratt,

referring to the House panels that have to make cuts

to programs they oversee.

In the Senate, committees are struggling to identify

even $35 billion in cuts, and some Senate Republicans,

such as Olympia Snowe of Maine, are expressing

concerns about making deeper reductions in programs

that help the poor.

218 Votes Needed

Blunt said earlier yesterday that the House vote will

be held ``whenever we get 218 votes for the biggest

amount of savings we can possibly get.'' Republicans

currently hold 231 of the 435 House seats.

At a closed-door meeting of House Republicans

yesterday, some lawmakers said they don't want to vote

for larger cuts unless the Senate goes along, said

Representative Zach Wamp of Tennessee. Republican

leaders indicated they will seek an agreement with the

Senate before proceeding, he said.

``A lot of members want to make sure we can get it

done, and not just have a symbolic vote,'' Wamp said.

http:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/apps\/news?pid=10000103&sid=aq3Gac44NGVw<\/a>

*********

House Republicans fail to reach spending cut deal

[[[The Republican budget blueprint calls for $70

billion in tax cuts over five years, which would add

about $35 billion to the U.S. debt unless more

spending reductions are passed.]]]

By Richard Cowan

Wed Oct 19, 8:20 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican leaders in the U.S.

House of Representatives on Wednesday failed to round

up enough support for deeper domestic spending cuts,

forcing them to call off a vote on legislation they

had hoped to pass on Thursday.

\"We shouldn't expect that vote tomorrow,\" said Heidi

Armstrong, a spokeswoman for Acting Majority Leader

Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican. Armstrong said she

did not know when the vote might be rescheduled.

Blunt, who has temporarily replaced indicted House

Majority Leader Tom DeLay, had hoped to win House

approval this week on a plan to cut mandatory federal

programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and student

loans, by $50 billion over the next five years,

instead of the previously planned $35 billion.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) of

California, the House Democratic leader, said the

additional spending cuts \"would have devastating

consequences on those who need our help most --

hurricane survivors, students, seniors and rural

Americans.\"

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican,

shot back, saying, \"It's not surprising that

Democratic leaders would be opposed to a spending

restraint amendment.\" He added that Democrats have

\"one strategy: to tax and spend.\"

But for now, enough House Republicans also were too

uncomfortable with the added spending cuts to let the

measure move forward.

The Republican budget blueprint calls for $70 billion

in tax cuts over five years, which would add about $35

billion to the U.S. debt unless more spending

reductions are passed.

Click below for full story...

http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/s\/nm\/20051020\/pl_nm\/congress_budget_dc_4<\/a>

**********

PRESS RELEASE:

Pelosi Statement on Republican Leadership Canceling

Vote on Ill-Conceived and Punitive Budget Cuts

Wed Oct 19, 7:25 PM ET

To: National Desk

Contact: Brendan Daly or Jennifer Crider,

202-226-7616, both of both of the Office of House

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi; Web:

http:\/\/democraticleader.house.gov<\/a>

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 \/U.S. Newswire\/ -- House

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following

statement tonight in response to Republican leadership

canceling tomorrow's expected vote on the budget

reconciliation amendment:

\"Today my colleagues and I sent a letter to the

Speaker urging him to abandon Republican plans for

ill-conceived and punitive budget cuts. Democrats are

unified: these cuts were only in the interests of

Republican special interest cronies, and would have

devastating consequences on those who need our help

most -- hurricane survivors, students, seniors, and

rural Americans.

\"I am pleased that the Speaker and the Republican

leadership have now backed down from this plan.

Republicans must abandon their culture of cronyism and

corruption and join Democrats to stand up for

America's working families. The budget is a reflection

of our national values, and should help all Americans,

not just the wealthy few. Together, America can do

better.\"

http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/s\/usnw\/20051020\/pl_usnw\/pelosi_statement_on_republican_leadership_canceling_vote_on_ill_conceived_and_punitive_budget_cuts141_xml<\/a>



*********

House Republicans struggle to find spending cuts

By Richard Cowan

Wed Oct 19, 7:38 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans struggled on

Wednesday to gain support for another round of

domestic spending cuts, leaving uncertain the fate of

legislation that was to have been debated on the floor

of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.

\"We'll bring the first part of our package ... to the

floor when we have 218 votes,\" said Rep. Roy Blunt

(news, bio, voting record), the Missouri Republican

who has temporarily replaced indicted House Majority

Leader Tom DeLay.

Blunt was referring to a bill that Republican leaders

had hoped to pass in the House on Thursday to cut

mandatory federal programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid

and student loans, by $50 billion over the next five

years, instead of the previously planned $35 billion.



Click below for full story...

http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/s\/nm\/20051019\/pl_nm\/congress_budget_dc_3<\/a>

*********

PRESS RELEASE

Pelosi, Hoyer and Sprat Urge Hastert To Cancel

Budget Vote That Would Increase Deficit, Hurt Katrina

Survivors

[Press Release] U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News - Oct 19

10:36 AM

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip

Steny Hoyer, and Rep. John Spratt, ranking member on

the House Budget Committee, sent a letter to Speaker

Dennis Hastert today urging him to cancel the budget

resolution amendment that is scheduled to come to the

House floor tomorrow. The amendment would make deeper

spending cuts to vital initiatives that help working

families while

Click below for full Press Release...

http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/s\/usnw\/20051019\/pl_usnw\/pelosi__hoyer_and_spratt_urge_hastert_to_cancel_budget_vote_that_would_increase_deficit__hurt_katrina_survivors132_xml<\/a>



*********

PRESS RELEASE

Pelosi: Republican Budget Is Another Rip-off of Middle

Class Under Guise of Helping Katrina Survivors

[Press Release] U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News - Oct 19

10:57 AM

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined other

Democratic leaders at a press stakeout today after the

Democratic Caucus meeting to discuss the Republican

budget and its negative effects on working families.

Below are Pelosi's remarks: \"Tomorrow will present a

choice to the Members of Congress. We can choose to

help the people who are affected by Katrina, or we can

give tax cuts to

Click below for full Press Release...

http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/s\/usnw\/20051019\/pl_usnw\/pelosi__republican_budget_is_another_rip_off_of_middle_class_under_guise_of_helping_katrina_survivors304_xml<\/a>



*********

Senate Drops Food Stamp Cuts From Budget

Wednesday October 19, 1:55 AM

Senate Republicans have dropped plans to cut the

popular food stamp program as the chamber's leaders

scrambled to assemble a $35 billion spending cut

measure to implement the budget plan it adopted in

April.

After protests from Agriculture Committee Republicans

such as Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Jim Talent

of Missouri, panel chair Saxby Chambliss dropped more

than $500 million in food stamp cuts from a farm and

food subsidy measure coming to a committee vote

Wednesday. The cuts could have meant a loss of

benefits for 300,000 working families benefiting from

more generous eligibility rules in some states.

\"We will continue now to allow federal food stamps to

automatically be given to those who already qualify

under state aid programs,\" said Agriculture panel

spokesman Keith Williams.

The development on food stamps illustrates the

political sensitivity of the upcoming debate over the

spending cut bill, which would spread the $35 billion

in cuts over five years. Various committees in the

House and Senate are conducting behind-the-scenes

negotiations to devise spending cuts plans to

implement the budget.

Click below for full story...

http:\/\/asia.news.yahoo.com\/051018\/ap\/d8daje7o1.html<\/a>



Roll Back The Rents

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