Tax and Appropriations

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD), a lead sponsor of landmark, bipartisan election reform legislation in 2002 (the “Help America Vote Act”), today expressed extreme disappointment in the President’s FY05 budget request for election reform and urged Members on both sides of the aisle to support full funding for the Act:

President Bush said this morning he is "confident" the government can halve the $521 billion deficit during the next few years, even while boosting homeland security and implementing what the administration called "the largest increase in the defense budget since the Reagan administration."

The president's comments followed release of the administration's $2.4 trillion budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins in October. The budget document acknowledged that the deficit was a "legitimate matter of concern."

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding the civilian federal pay adjustment proposed by President Bush in his Fiscal Year 2005 Budget:

“I am pleased that the President proposed a fair pay adjustment for the men and women of our armed services in his 2005 budget.  However, I am very disappointed that President Bush continues to show a lack of regard for civilian federal employee’s hard work and service by ignoring the bipartisan principle of pay parity.

WASHINGTON, DC – The bipartisan Washington, DC regional delegation, led by House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD), will introduce a resolution next week that would put Congress on record in support of the bipartisan principle of pay parity in its upcoming fiscal year 2005 budget proposal.  The bipartisan group included Democratic Whip Hoyer, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Al Wynn (D-MD), Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rep.

» Hoyer: Republicans Preach Fiscal Discipline, Practice Sin of Fiscal Recklessness

» Deficit Clearinghouse - featuring numerous reports on the latest deficit estimates

» More Information for Members of Congress

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) issued the following statement on today’s new budget forecast by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

“CBO’s projections show that deficits loom far into the future, and cast grave doubts on the Bush Administration’s claim that it will cut the deficit in half over five years.

Annual Presidential Address Discussed the Job-less Economy, National Security, Health Care, Taxes and Deficits, Education, Welfare Reform and the Marriage Initiative, Immigration

» Hoyer Statement on President Bush's State of the Union Address

» Information on the State of the Union Arranged by Issue

WASHINGTON, DC -- House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding the new budget forecast by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).  The CBO predicts a $477 billion deficit for Fiscal Year 2004, which is 4.2 percent of GDP:
 

The bipartisan Washington, DC regional delegation, led by House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD), sent a letter today to President Bush urging that he support the principle of pay parity in his upcoming fiscal year 2005 budget proposal.  The bipartisan group included Democratic Whip Hoyer, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Al Wynn (D-MD), Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rep.

In 2003 Democrats fought for working families: expanding economic opportunity, improving schools and health care, protecting Social Security and Medicare. Republicans served special interests: passing tax cuts that left the middle class behind and a Rx drug bill that helped pharmaceutical companies instead of seniors, and failing to fully fund the No Child Left Behind education bill. See the links below for more information.

» The 2003 Republican Report Card