I am disappointed that the President chose today to veto important funding for our domestic priorities. After seven years of unrestrained spending and a ballooning deficit, the President has, under the guise of fiscal responsibility, rejected a $6.2 billion funding increase for education, health care, and workforce development, even as he requests nearly $200 billion in unbudgeted, no strings attached funding to continue the Iraq War for another year. That is no way to balance America’s checkbook.
Under the budget passed by the New Democratic Congress, we can take care of America at home - increase funding for our schools, offer more student assistance for college, invest in biomedical research at NIH, expand health care access, and help Americans compete in the global economy – and balance the budget by 2012. These priorities are America’s priorities. It is time for Congress to come together, stand up for the American people and override this veto.