Kagen: Keep Our Tax Dollars Here At Home
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. today moved to end wasteful government spending by voting for several key domestic investments, including emergency funding for Wisconsin flood victims, an extension of unemployment benefits, and renewed benefits for proven veterans’ education programs.
“Taxpayers want us to invest their hard-earned money here at home, not overseas,” Kagen said. “Today’s actions keep faith with that goal by getting flooded-out families and rural farmers the help they need and guaranteeing our veterans the first-class health care and education benefits they have earned.”
Kagen voted for the 21st Century GI Bill, expanding education benefits to restore full, four-year college costs.
“Let’s make the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan part of an American economic recovery, just like World War II veterans a generation ago,” Kagen said.
Kagen also supported extended unemployment benefits for workers who have exhausted theirs but still not been able to find new jobs.
The bill also provides more than $2.6 billion to make sure critical resources are available to respond to disasters in the wake of recent tornadoes and flooding.
Kagen drew the line at a proposed $165.4 billion to continue the administration’s failed policy in Iraq.
“Enough is enough,” Kagen said. “I will always support our troops, but not President Bush’s policies that put them at risk with no end in sight. We’ve done our job in Iraq. Our brave soldiers took out Saddam, and Iraq has held several free elections. It is time to move our troops away from Iraq, and back after Osama bin Laden and his followers.”
Kagen said the bill provides $4.6 billion for military construction and veterans hospitals, and requires that State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reconstruction aid for Iraq be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Iraqi Government — a key provision setting a new direction and increased accountability in the funding of the Iraq War.
“Iraqi ’s are now enjoying a budget surplus, while Americans are suffering with a budget-busting deficit,” Kagen said. “It’s time to end wasteful government spending in Iraq and invest our hard earned tax dollars right here in America, instead.”
