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Issues: Federal Budget
President's Budget Holds the Line on Military Spending, Funds New Priorities
More Military Troops, and More for Afghanistan: The president asked for funding to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan and to increase the overall size of the Army and the Marines.
The president requests $662.1 billion for the Pentagon in FY 2009 and $663.7 billion in 2010. This includes the dollars already allocated for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as another request of $75.5 billion expected for 2009, and $130 billion for 2010. Here's how the numbers break down:
Dedicated Funding for Energy:President Obama's budget identifies some revenue sources for special initiatives and fences off those sources so that they cannot be used for other purposes. Revenue from a "cap and trade" program or carbon tax would be fenced off to fund green jobs and investments in alternative energy. The president's budget also allocates $3.2 billion for the low income energy assistance program, the highest funding level ever.
Health Care Initiatives: Savings from adjustments in the tax deductibility of certain medical expenses and from efficiencies and reforms in Medicare and Medicaid are fenced off for investment in a "down payment" on universal health care.
In addition to the universal health care initiative, the budget proposal includes major funding increases for the Indian Health Service and rural health programs.
Ending Child Hunger by 2015: The president commits to end child hunger in the U.S. by 2015. Two proposals toward this end provide an increase WIC funding (the supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children) so that all eligible women and children will be able to receive benefits, and a $1 billion increase in funding for school lunches and other child nutrition programs. Doubling Foreign Aid: The president's budget announces an intention to double the U.S. foreign aid budget and proposes large increases to support civilian services and support for troubled nations. Make College More Affordable: Low-income college students will also get a boost from $6.6 billion additional dollars invested in the Pell Grant program. Check back on our budget pagefor updates to this list. | bush IRAG WAR = obamaAfghanistan wars
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By Jeremy Pelofsky -Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Thursday sent President Barack Obama a $106 billion bill to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars after political sparring that could foreshadow tougher fights over Obama's agenda.
The bill, delayed by disputes over quickly closing the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay and expanding support for the IMF, highlighted the difficulties Obama may face in Congress even though his fellow Democrats control both the Senate and House of Representatives.
The bill contains $79.9 billion to continue fighting the two wars, $7.7 billion to address the H1N1 flu pandemic, and $1.4 billion in foreign aid for Pakistan, which is fighting Taliban militants spilling over the border from Afghanistan.
The bill before us represents a balanced compromise between the issues and funding recommended by the House and Senate, said Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The Senate voted 91-5, with most Republicans joining Democrats to support it. Obama is expected to sign it into law. The House approval on Tuesday garnered only five Republican votes and 32 Democrats voted against it.
Democrats have a commanding majority in the House, but still need to keep centrist Democrats aboard and win a few Republican votes in the Senate to forestall any procedural roadblocks mounted by the opposition party.
After weeks of tense negotiations among the White House, Democrats and Republicans, lawmakers put limits on Obama's efforts to close the controversial prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where more than 200 terrorism suspects are being held.
LIMITS ON DETAINEES
The legislation permits the administration to bring suspects
to U.S. soil for trial but not permanent detention. It also bans the release in the United States of any detainees who have been cleared of wrongdoing through September 30.
Republicans and, later, Democrats demanded the White House produce a detailed plan before shutting the facility down. In the meantime, the administration has rushed to release or transfer more than a dozen detainees. Obama administration has made fortifying the I.M.F. one of its primary goals for the meeting of the Group of 20
Another obstacle was a $100 billion credit line for the International
Monetary Fund, which is working to help developing countries survive the economic downturn, an $8 billion increase in the U.S. contribution to the lender, and U.S. support for the IMF's plan to sell 400 tons (12.97 million ounces) of its
gold reserves.
House Republicans had expressed concern the IMF would use the funds to lend to U.S. foes like Iran and Venezuela and also argued the matter should have been considered separately. World Bank Funnels Taxpayer Funds for Poverty Reduction to Halliburton and Big Oil
With the bill's passage, Obama can follow through on a commitment he made with other Group of 20 member nations to add $500 billion to an IMF emergency fund for countries needing financial aid to avoid bankruptcy. http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2007/10/20/paulson-imf-should-take-lead-on-sovereign-wealth-funds/
The Senate also fought off an attempt to strip out $1 billion
set for a program to boost flagging U.S. car sales by offering vouchers to encourage consumers to trade in their less fuel-efficient vehicles for ones that get better mileage.
Republican Senator Judd Gregg had argued the program was not paid for and should not be allowed to add to the growing debt. Auto sales are off 40 percent this year. you_are_all_slaves
There are innumerable places in this government, which is spending
trillions of dollars a year, to find $1 billion to pay for this bill if it was a priority, he said. common man and woman of America and is not the "representative form" as people believe.
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