Vermont Attorney Lawyer

The Assembly approved on Wednesday nearly Congress’ first attempt in eight years, the slowdown in the growth of programs such as the benefit of Medicaid and student loan subsidies, sending the action to President Bush.

The bill passed by a vote of 216-214, largely along party. Republicans hailed the five-year, $ 39 billion budget cut a bill as a first important step to restore discipline in spending. Democrats have attacked the action as an attack against students and Medicaid patients and said powerful Washington lobbyists had much influence on him.

President Bush said he welcomes the signing of the law to identify.

“The house today a significant reduction in spending packages, controlling expenditure growth law for the first time in years and help us stay on track for the deficit by half by 2009 , “Said Bush.

The measure is a leftover element of the GOP down the agenda.

He added that modest reductions in Medicaid, Medicare and student loans with a renewal grants in 1996, prosperity and reform accounting $ 10 billion in new revenues from auctioning the ether television wirelessly. There is also $ 1 billion in new spending to extend an income subsidy program for dairy farmers and a report for physicians, there was a reduction of 4 per cent of the disease fees.

The $ 39 billion in cuts are generally small - 0.4 percent reduction in Medicaid funding and 0.3 per cent reduction of the disease over five years - compared with deficits expected that a total of 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars or more by 2010. Still, the bill on track a fight between Democrats and Republicans and whipped cream to opposition from interest groups such as AARP.

Parliament passed a virtually identical bill on December 19, but the House held an unusual revote because Senate Democrats forced technical changes, the need to accept the house, before the bill Bush could office.

Republican, said the action is a necessary first step to Reining in the emergence of the so-called mandatory spending growth, programs such as Medicare, which threaten to swamp the budget of the baby - boom launches retirement.

“The deficit reduction bill aims to curb the unsustainable growth rate of the compulsory insurance programs, which are regulated so as to consume 62 per cent of our total federal budget in the next ten years, if they so uncontrolled , “Said Czech Adam Putnam, R-Fla. He said many of these programs are outdated, inefficient and excessively costly. ”

But Democrats attacked the measure, especially for its cuts in the support of the Confederation of Child and the implementation of the programme to reduce States for Medicaid and the cost of coverage increases fees for the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled.

– Democrats say the budget reduces the expense reductions focuses on vulnerable groups like Medicaid beneficiaries while protecting the interests of powerful companies such as drug trafficking, for example, policy makers and insurance funds disease, has won major victories in the final phase of negotiations conducted behind closed doors.

“This is a product of special interest lobbying and the stench of special interests is above the room,” said Czech John Dingell, D-Mich.

– Democrats also said that the measure if, in conjunction with an impending change of cutting taxes by more than $ 70 billion, an increase in the deficit.

As if on cue, the Senate began a debate on lowering taxes, the law would still be some expired tax breaks and protection of millions of families from paying the alternative minimum tax. The House version of this bill would tax reductions for capital gains and dividends.

The powerful AARP seniors lobby, student groups, pediatricians and others have a monthlong campaign against the bill, and some legislators uncomfortable with its votes in December.

“In the meantime, the month that I am the man to know and abide by the details of these laws … and they said:” It’s really a disaster, “said Czech Rob Simmons, R, Conn., Joined by his vote “Aye”, “no”. Simmons was one of 13 Republican objections against Bill 200, add the Liberal Democrats and Independent Bernard Sanders of Vermont.

The bill, as Republicans try Capitol Hill, burnish their party’s budget-cut connection has increased amid growing concern about the excessive deficits and the cost of the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina.

Bush is concerned about the signing of the law and move on the budget for the next round of the year. On 6 February, it is 2007 after his release budget, it is likely that new calls for reductions in benefits programs like farm subsidies, Medicaid, food stamps and Medicare. Many lawmakers and budget experts are skeptical about the chances for another budget-cut bill an election year.

AARP is a provision against the hardening of Medicaid home care, as regards the rules on people, shed assets to qualify for such supply. It is a