Ehrlich on Washington column, May 14, 2001

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of May 1 4, 200 1 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Score One for America’s Families President George W. Bush and Congressional leaders recently accomplished a rare feat in Washington - a proposed budget agreement that provides sorely-needed tax relief for America’s working families while investing in America’s most important priorities - education reform, debt retirement, medicare and social security protection. The President’s budget funds solutions to real life problems that you and I face every day. For instance, President Bush has made educating America’s children his top priority, and our budget agreement backs his commitment. Not only will America make unprecedented investments in Pell Grants and special education, but the budget I supported also takes the historic step of helping students trapped in failing schools pay for private, supplementary education tools, such as tutors and summer school programs, so they may advance their education. This President seeks to give families a right to choose the best education for their child on their own terms. For forty years, America’s Congressional leadership watched debt increase to historic levels. Since Republicans won majorities in the House and Senate in 1994, however, Congress has paid down $625 billion in public debt. President Bush’s budget pays down $2 trillion more in public debt over the next ten years. The federal government, thanks to a more responsible Congress and supportive President, will now be more accountable to the taxpayers who foot the federal bill. Your family savings will benefit from this common-sense decision to restore fiscal sanity in Washington and pay off the government’s long-standing bills. With respect to Social Security and Medicare, President Bush has drawn a clear line in the sand. For too long, Congress stripped Social Security of its surplus in order fund bloated, low- performing bureaucracies. This year, the President’s budget places $2.6 trillion of the Social Security surplus off-limits to Washington’s pork barrel spenders, strengthening Social Security as Baby Boomers retire. Medicare will receive $300 billion in investment, and, with the President’s leadership, will be reformed so that seniors - not the federal government - have the first voice in choosing a health plan. c