Menendez Hails Passage of Senate Budget Resolution

Press Release

MENENDEZ HAILS PASSAGE OF SENATE BUDGET RESOLUTION

Menendez attached provisions on energy, children, veterans, emergency preparedness and combating violence against women

Last night, the U.S. Senate passed its budget resolution, establishing a budgetary framework that encompasses priorities of the Obama administration and the majority in Congress. That includes health care reform, renewable energy and education, as well cutting the Bush budget deficit in half in five years. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the Budget Committee, voted in favor of the budget and added a number of provisions on issues including energy, children, veterans, emergency preparedness and combating violence against women. He praised the budget for the priorities is establishes.

"If we are to create economic opportunity for families today and economic stability for families in the long term, it is vital that we put in place this bold and badly-needed budget," said Menendez. "A budget reflects our priorities, and this budget prioritizes quality and affordable health care, quality and affordable education and affordable renewable energy. It also puts us back on the path to fiscal responsibility by cutting the Bush annual budget deficit in half in five years. This is a distinct and needed change from budgets over the past eight years, which failed to emphasize the issues that make a difference in the lives of middle class Americans. I am proud to have gained passage of a number of provisions that will help provide for the economic well-being and safety of families. I look forward to working to make this budget's priorities a reality."

Provisions attached to the budget by Menendez in both the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor include:

• Energy - signaling support for increased funding of Energy Efficiency Block Grants, a program created by Menendez in 2007 to help municipalities undertake programs and projects to become more energy efficient
• Children - moving toward the creation of a "children's budget" analysis of overall federal spending on children's programs
• Veterans - supporting increased funding for State Veterans Cemeteries, with the aging of the WWII generation
• Emergency preparedness - supporting funding for additional Urban Search and Rescue Teams for high-density urban areas under the Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Combating violence against women - ensuring funding for the Violence Against Women Act and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.

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