BFW analysis of Pres. Bush's budget proposal
We've all been reading about the drastic spending cuts in PresidentBush's budget, which was released on Monday morning. So, how does thisbudget treat the programs we as anti-hunger activists care about? In anutshell, the budget cutbacks leave key foreign assistance accounts andnutrition programs vulnerable to cutbacks as well and, in some cases,program changes that could seriously undermine safety nets for hungrypeople in our country.
Since journalists are thinking about the president's budget, now is agood time to let your editorial contacts know that you are monitoringhow the federal budget will affect programs to help hungry people.
Implications for Make Hunger History:
The Agriculture budget (which includes domestic nutrition programs)includes cuts to the Food Stamp program by $500 million over five yearsand more than $1 billion over ten years. These cuts would be enforced byreducing the number of people eligible to receive benefits, especiallyfor low-income working families. The Administration confirmed yesterdaythat over 300,000 people would be cut off of the food stamp program whenthe categorical eligibility cut is fully implemented in 2007!
This year we will need to work hard to defend funding for theseimportant nutrition programs, let alone convince Congress to followthrough on our nation's commitments to hungry people by fulfilling thegoal of cutting food security in half by 2010. The formation of theSenate Hunger Caucus, and the possible creation of a parallel HouseHunger Caucus, gives us reason to believe that concerned citizens at thegrassroots level can build the momentum to make ending hunger in ourcountry a priority for our decision-makers. If we want to ensure thatall Americans can put food on the table, then we must protect nutritionprograms from funding cuts and policy changes that will take food stampsaway from low-income people.
Implications for International Development Assistance and the ONECampaign:
Overall, the president requested a $2.3 billion increase inpoverty-focused development assistance. The HIV/AIDS funding is $3.16billion, and the administration's request for the MCA is $3 billion.(Although this is $2 billion short of the promised $5 billion by 2006,we should be careful to recognize that this is twice as much as Congressappropriated for the 2005 budget.) The president repeatedly promisedthat funding for the MCA and AIDS programs would be in addition to (notin place of) existing development and humanitarian assistance programs.However, it appears that some of these other accounts may have been cut.
Bread for the World policy analysts are still reviewing the foreign aidbudget and will refine their analysis as more information becomesavailable. But it is clear that the administration and Congress need tobe reminded of the promises made and goals set for accomplishing theMillennium Development Goals by 2010. The ONE Campaign is one importantway that thousands of U.S. citizens will remind our electedrepresentatives that helping hungry and poor people in far-off places isour moral responsibility and our privilege as the wealthiest nation inthe world. If we want to show the world that we will to do our part toend hunger and poverty, then we need to keep our promises to fully fundall foreign assistance programs (not only the MCA) and direct anadditional 1% of the federal budget to meet the MDGs.
Click Here to Read More!
Since journalists are thinking about the president's budget, now is agood time to let your editorial contacts know that you are monitoringhow the federal budget will affect programs to help hungry people.
Implications for Make Hunger History:
The Agriculture budget (which includes domestic nutrition programs)includes cuts to the Food Stamp program by $500 million over five yearsand more than $1 billion over ten years. These cuts would be enforced byreducing the number of people eligible to receive benefits, especiallyfor low-income working families. The Administration confirmed yesterdaythat over 300,000 people would be cut off of the food stamp program whenthe categorical eligibility cut is fully implemented in 2007!
This year we will need to work hard to defend funding for theseimportant nutrition programs, let alone convince Congress to followthrough on our nation's commitments to hungry people by fulfilling thegoal of cutting food security in half by 2010. The formation of theSenate Hunger Caucus, and the possible creation of a parallel HouseHunger Caucus, gives us reason to believe that concerned citizens at thegrassroots level can build the momentum to make ending hunger in ourcountry a priority for our decision-makers. If we want to ensure thatall Americans can put food on the table, then we must protect nutritionprograms from funding cuts and policy changes that will take food stampsaway from low-income people.
Implications for International Development Assistance and the ONECampaign:
Overall, the president requested a $2.3 billion increase inpoverty-focused development assistance. The HIV/AIDS funding is $3.16billion, and the administration's request for the MCA is $3 billion.(Although this is $2 billion short of the promised $5 billion by 2006,we should be careful to recognize that this is twice as much as Congressappropriated for the 2005 budget.) The president repeatedly promisedthat funding for the MCA and AIDS programs would be in addition to (notin place of) existing development and humanitarian assistance programs.However, it appears that some of these other accounts may have been cut.
Bread for the World policy analysts are still reviewing the foreign aidbudget and will refine their analysis as more information becomesavailable. But it is clear that the administration and Congress need tobe reminded of the promises made and goals set for accomplishing theMillennium Development Goals by 2010. The ONE Campaign is one importantway that thousands of U.S. citizens will remind our electedrepresentatives that helping hungry and poor people in far-off places isour moral responsibility and our privilege as the wealthiest nation inthe world. If we want to show the world that we will to do our part toend hunger and poverty, then we need to keep our promises to fully fundall foreign assistance programs (not only the MCA) and direct anadditional 1% of the federal budget to meet the MDGs.
Click Here to Read More!
posted by Mike Hiland at 1:05 AM
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