WHO KNEW NPR AND BIG BIRD WERE BEHIND OUR BUDGET DEFICITS?

According to non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates, the main causes of our federal budget deficits projected over the next ten years are the Bush-era tax cuts for the rich, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economic recession. Yet, instead of focusing on the true causes of our deficits, Congress voted to cut funding for National Public Radio (NPR). After voting against the bill Rep. Becerra said, “The dust is setting and now we can see who House Republicans identify as the culprits of these massive budget deficits: Morning Edition, All Things Considered and A Prairie Home Companion, join Big Bird and Dora the Explorer, community programming and Head Start in the lineup of suspects. Who knew!”

What else has the Republican majority put on the chopping block?

• The jobs of 7,000 special education teachers
• Job training for 200,000 Americans who are out of work through no fault of their own
• $88 million for food safety inspections
• Life-saving health services like HIV and cancer screenings for 5 million women in America

Number of jobs independent economists estimate will be lost if this budget becomes law: 700,000
Long-term impact on federal budget deficits: Zero

SHORT TAKES – WASHINGTON, D.C.

REP. BECERRA ON TEMPORARY SPENDING BILLS: “STOP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD”

On March 15th, the House of Representatives approved a second temporary continuing budget resolution to fund the government for just three more weeks while making more reckless cuts to programs that work. After voting against the bill Rep. Becerra said: “It’s time for this Congress to start making the tough choices and stop kicking the can down the road. The not-so-new Republican majority is budgeting by baby-steps and that is no way to run the largest economy in the world or the smallest business on Main Street. Today’s vote will not create a single job or fix our long term deficit problem, but it could inject more confusion and uncertainty into our economic recovery. Congress needs to get serious about putting Americans back to work and stop playing Russian roulette with our economy.”

REP. BECERRA TO SPEAKER BOEHNER: ABANDON PLAN TO SHUT DOWN SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

On March 16th, Congressman Becerra and 125 members of the House Democratic Caucus sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) urging him to restore reasonable funding levels to the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the proposed 2011 budget and avoid shutting down the agency for the equivalent of a month this year. After sending the letter Rep. Becerra—the highest ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security—said: “The facts are the facts. The Republican job-destroying spending bill will shut down Social Security offices for up to a month this year. That was the warning the Social Security Administration recently communicated to Congress. And if local Social Security offices are closed for business, nearly 700,000 new retirees, widows, disabled workers and children will be put in a backlog as phones go unanswered and claims go unprocessed. Today we say to Speaker Boehner, restore funding in your budget for the Social Security Administration and cease-and-desist from this plan that would shut it down.” 

SHORT TAKES – LOS ANGELES

A YEAR LATER, NEW HEALTH CARE RIGHTS & CHOICES ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
One year ago this month, President Obama signed into law historic rights and choices in health care for America's families. This has meant a world of difference for Maria Gama and her family, who live in our congressional district. Maria's daughter suffers from Type 1 diabetes, requiring daily insulin shots. And because diabetes is considered a ’pre-existing condition,’ Maria's insurer wouldn’t cover her daughter. Maria was forced to pay over $400 out of pocket each month for medication for her daughter. Now, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Maria has the right to add her daughter to her insurance policy. On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of this transformative law, Rep. Becerra released a video message to outline what the law has accomplished and what lies ahead:

TODAY…

• By right, you can no longer be dropped from your health plan when you get sick.
• By right, your child or any child born in America can no longer be denied access to a doctor.
• You now have a right to keep your children on your health plan until they reach age 26.
• If you are a senior with Medicare, you will now pay less for your medications and your Medicare HMO plan.
• If you are a small businessman or woman who chooses to cover your employees, you now have a right to receive a significant tax credit to cover the cost of insurance.
• You now have a right to receive a rebate from your insurance company if it spends on actual health care for you less than 85 cents of every dollar you paid that insurer in premiums.