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Skriven 2006-02-06 23:33:24 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0602061) for Mon, 2006 Feb 6
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Fact Sheet: Highlights of the President's FY2007 Budget
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 6, 2006

Fact Sheet: Highlights of the President's FY2007 Budget



The President's 2007 Budget continues the successful pro-growth policies
that have encouraged robust economic growth and job creation. A strong
economy, together with spending restraint, is critical to reducing the
deficit. The Budget builds on last year's successful spending restraint by
again holding the growth of overall discretionary spending below inflation,
proposing to reduce non-security discretionary spending below the previous
year's level, and calling for the elimination or reduction of programs not
getting results or not fulfilling essential priorities. Like last year, the
budget proposes savings and reforms to mandatory spending programs, whose
unsustainable growth poses the real long-term danger to our fiscal health.

Continuing Our Economic Expansion

The Budget continues the President's pro-growth policies vital to our
economy's continued expansion. With the full implementation of the
President's tax relief plan in 2003, the Nation has added more than 4.7
million new jobs, productivity has increased at a 3 percent annual rate,
homeownership has reached all-time highs, and the American economy is
growing faster than other major industrialized nations.

  þ Because America needs more than a temporary expansion, taxpayers need
    more than temporary tax relief. The Budget proposes to make permanent
    the tax relief enacted in 2001 and 2003, preventing a tax increase on
    families and small businesses.

  þ The strength of our economy has produced rapid increases in the level
    of Federal receipts, which are critical to reducing the deficit. From
    2004 to 2005, receipts grew 14.5 percent ($274 billion), or more than
    twice as fast as the economy itself. The Budget forecasts receipts to
    grow another $132 billion from 2005 to 2006, an increase of 6.1
    percent.

Restraining Spending and Cutting the Deficit

Through continued pro-growth economic policies and spending restraint, the
Budget keeps us on track to meet the President's goal of cutting the
deficit in half by 2009. The Budget:

  þ Again holds the growth of overall discretionary spending below
    inflation and again proposes to reduce non-security discretionary
    spending below the previous year's level.

  þ Terminates or reduces 141 programs that are not getting results or not
    fulfilling essential priorities, for a proposed savings of $14.7
    billion, building on last year's success in which savings of $6.5
    billion were achieved in 89 of the President's proposals.

  þ Requests that Congress give the President a Constitutional line-item
    veto. All savings from the line-item veto would be used for deficit
    reduction.

  þ Projects the deficit will decline from its projected 2004 peak of 4.5
    percent of GDP ($521 billion) down to 1.4 percent ($208 billion) in
    2009, more than in half and well below the 40-year historical average
    deficit of 2.3 percent.

The Long-Term Fiscal Danger

The greatest threat to our fiscal health over the long-term comes from
unsustainable growth in entitlement programs such as Social Security,
Medicare, and Medicaid.

  þ The Budget saves $65 billion over 5 years by slowing the future growth
    of entitlement spending.

  þ In addition, it paves the way for further reforms that will be needed
    over the longer term to bring Medicare's finances in line with
    available resources.

  þ The President will also continue to promote comprehensive reform of
    Social Security to place the program's finances on sustainable footing
    for future generations.

Focusing On National Priorities

The Budget focuses taxpayer resources on National priorities like the War
on Terrorism, health care, energy research and strengthening our global
competitiveness through improved math and science education and research.

  þ Fighting the War on Terror. To give our troops the resources they need
    to fight terror and protect our Nation, the Budget increases defense
    spending by nearly 7 percent. This funding will maintain a high level
    of military readiness, develop and procure new weapon systems to ensure
    U.S. battlefield superiority, and support our service members and their
    families.

  þ Defending the Homeland. Government-wide, non-defense homeland security
    funding, including fee-funded activities, increases by more than 8
    percent. The Budget also provides resources to strengthen our borders
    with funding for 1,500 new border patrol agents, 6,000 new detention
    beds, 560 detention and removal personnel, and 257 attorneys to
    expedite removal of illegal immigrants.

  þ Reducing Health Care Costs and Improving Access. The Budget makes
    health care more affordable and available with improvements to Health
    Savings Accounts, health information technology, and medical liability
    reform.

  þ Reducing our Addiction to Foreign Oil. The Advanced Energy Initiative
    provides a 22-percent increase in research funding for cleaner,
    cheaper, more reliable energy: solar, wind, nuclear, zero-emission
    coal, batteries for hybrid and electric cars, hydrogen, and biomass -
    with the goal of replacing 75 percent of oil imports from the Middle
    East by 2025.

  þ Strengthening our Competitiveness. The American Competitiveness
    Initiative commits $5.9 billion in FY2007, and more than $136 billion
    over 10 years, to increase investments in research and development,
    recruit new math and science teachers, encourage American innovation,
    and strengthen our nation's ability to compete in the global economy.

  þ Promoting Compassion and Strengthening Families. The Budget continues
    to advance compassionate programs that are effective in addressing
    social concerns, including $322 million in targeted Faith-based and
    Community initiatives. These efforts fund the Helping America's Youth
    initiative, as well as other priority programs.

  þ Delivering Results and Controlling Spending. The President proposes
    reforms to control spending and to ensure programs deliver greater
    results. The 2007 Budget:

      þ Proposes statutory limits on discretionary spending, enforced by
        across-the-board cuts.

      þ Proposes biennial budgeting, which would allow lawmakers to devote
        more time every other year to ensuring that taxpayers' money is
        spent wisely and efficiently.

      þ Proposes creation of a Results Commission and a Sunset Commission
        to improve agency and program performance and reduce unnecessary
        costs to taxpayers.

      þ Launches ExpectMore.gov to improve Federal program transparency and
        accountability and focus on results.

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