OMB Watch Statement on FY 2011 Continuing Resolution

PRESS RELEASE
-For Immediate Release-
April 15, 2011

Contact: Craig Jennings, (202) 683-4860, cjennings@ombwatch.org or Brian Gumm, (202) 683-4812, bgumm@ombwatch.org

OMB Watch Statement on FY 2011 Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2011—The continuing resolution agreement to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which was reached by President Obama, Senate Democrats, and House Republicans, is extremely disappointing. At a time when unemployment is close to nine percent, 23 million Americans are either underemployed or unemployed, and economic growth sputters, policymakers have decided that the most pressing problem facing the nation is the budget deficit. Rather than making adjustments where the pain will be felt the least, their solution is to cut nutrition, housing, and education spending, let tax cheats off the hook, and spend more money on an already bloated defense budget.

“I am deeply disappointed that the president and Congress continue to avoid confronting the real deficit crisis: jobs. While millions of Americans struggle day to day to stay afloat, our political leaders work tirelessly to address the concerns of powerful special interests as they ignore the problems facing the other 95 percent of the nation,” said Craig Jennings, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy at OMB Watch.

Instead of responsibly raising revenues to fund our national priorities, Congress agreed on Thursday to cut $20 billion from discretionary spending and $17.8 billion from mandatory spending.

“This $38 billion cut means fewer jobs and slower GDP growth while millions of families will see fewer government services such as nutrition, housing, and health care assistance exactly when they need it the most,” Jennings said. “In addition to cutbacks in services to the needy, the entire nation will be worse off as the institutions that provide public protections to all Americans will have fewer resources to protect our food supply, workers, and the environment.”

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OMB Watch is a nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting government accountability, citizen participation in public policy decisions, and the use of fiscal and regulatory policy to serve the public interest. Find OMB Watch on Facebook and Twitter.

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