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The Human Needs Report is the Coalition on Human Needs' newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations. It is published every other week while Congress is in session.
Article from the March 17 , 2006 edition of the CHN Human Needs Report:
Both the House and Senate have now approved legislation raising the nation's debt limit by $781 billion, to nearly $9 trillion. The Senate acted on March 16, in the midst of its budget resolution debate. Right wing Senators agreed not to tack on amendments, such as a version of a Presidential line-item veto, so that the increased debt limit could be signed into law without risking a first-ever federal default. In return, Senate Majority Leader Frist (R-TN) reportedly has agreed to a debate on the Senate floor before the August recess on the President's proposal for a variant on the line-item veto and perhaps other changes in budget law that would limit spending in mandatory (entitlement) and/or discretionary (annually appropriated) programs. In addition, House conservatives are pushing for separate legislation expected to reach the floor in June that would also make restrictions in budget law. In 2004, legislation was offered (although the bills did not pass) that placed extreme caps on almost all types of domestic programs, resulting in massive cuts in Medicaid, Medicare, anti-hunger programs, foster care and adoption assistance, aid for poor people with disabilities, etc. The President's new version of a line-item veto could also be considered at that time. Human needs advocates are watching these developments, since members of Congress feel under pressure to reduce the deficit, without being inclined to end some of the tax breaks that will add up to trillions of dollars over a decade. Restrictive and more-or-less automatic budget caps may be tempting, since their irresponsible consequences are usually delayed well past the next election. |
