The District Chronicles

Issue date: 11/10/05 Section: POLITICS

There seems to be no moral bottom to what some members of Congress will do. They put children and the poor on the chopping block again in a Robin Hood in reverse move. The Senate just approved $36 billion in budget cuts and the House will consider $50 billion in cuts in the next few days. Both severely assault children, families and the poor.

These cuts are unacceptable under any circumstances, but especially unacceptable when children and other Katrina survivors continue to wait for help and Congress is poised to approve $70 billion in new tax breaks favoring the wealthiest Americans.

The Senate's $36 billion in cuts in programs will largely go to fund tax breaks for the non-needy, ignoring the desperate unmet needs of children and needy families. The House bill proposes even deeper cuts ($50 billion) that will severely jeopardize the health care, foster care, child support payments, childcare, and nutrition that children need. Under the House budget cut proposal more than 6 million children could be denied the essential health and mental health care they need as a result of the changes in Medicaid alone at a time when 9 million children are uninsured.

Not even abused and neglected children,including those living with grandparents and other relatives, will escape the House budget knife. An estimated 300,000 low-income families will lose food stamps.

An estimated 270,000 children whose parents are struggling to work will be left without childcare. Work requirements are increased and new funding for childcare for families on welfare is decreased.
Unbelievably, children will be deprived of about $8 billion in child support over the next five years ($24 billion over 10 years) as a result of these proposed budget changes.

These budget cuts are not only morally outrageous, they're economically stupid. Early prevention and investing in Medicaid, foster care and other child welfare services, food stamps, child support, and student loans save money in the long run. These cuts are especially outrageous when you consider that they are being made to help pay for the more than $70 billion in tax cuts that our wealthiest Americans don't need.

Don't let this budget bill pass Congress. You can help stop these cuts by calling and e-mailing your Represent-ative right away and urging him or her to vote no on the budget bill. Call toll-free (888) 233-1221 to reach the Congressional switchboard and ask to be connected to your Representative's office. Tell your Representative to make the right choices for children. Children in your community and across the country need you.

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