Cheney: No tin cans in space!
Frank: This bill is crack!

by Farrah Balanced

House members met this morning with key administration officials to discuss the recently released budget. Participants called the meeting candid and amicable.

Budget committee Chair Jim Nussel (R-Iowa) presided, quickly giving the floor to administration representatives. They opened by explaining their priorities and justifications for the budget they released Friday.

Vice President Dick Cheney say the budget “builds a stronger, more compassionate America…it keeps Americans safe at home and abroad and keeps taxpayer money where it belongs: in their own pockets.”

“We are truly the envy of the world,” said Treasury Secretary John Snow, who cited several statistics to demonstrate the strength of the economy and added that the administration’s budget fosters growth in the private sector.

Many House members, however, were not content with the administration’s explanation of their budget. Administration representatives faced questions on issues ranging from the Alternative Minimum Tax to cuts to NASA’s space shuttle program.

“I’m from Texas, the president’s home state, and we depend on NASA,” said Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX). “It provides a tremendous amount of jobs, industry, innovation, and national security.”

Vice President Cheney defended cancellation of the space shuttle program, arguing that it was scheduled to end anyway, that it was unsafe for American astronauts, and that cancellation would encourage NASA to come up with better technology.

“I don’t know why we think we should put a tin can up in space that has had two fatal accidents,” Cheney remarked. “We value our citizens’ lives more than we value a tin can in space.”

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) questioned the administration’s cuts in military health benefits. This budget option would grant non-taxable cash allowances to military families rather than insuring them under TRICARE, the current health care plan.

“This is not actually a cut,” said Vice President Cheney. “This gives military service members the ability to choose which plan and how much health care they want. We don’t need a big brother government looking over the shoulders of our military servicemen.”

“As many of our representatives who have taken microeconomics know,” added Secretary Snow, to guffaws from the House, “policies that provide assistance through cash allowances rather than care tend to be more efficient.”

When asked about a shortage of health professionals in geriatric care, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said the administration’s health care budget choices will keep Americans healthy by focusing on prevention, as well as restore integrity to the Medicare system. He mentioned that a number of individuals were gaming the system.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) agreed, loudly. “It’s more than time that we eliminate mismanagement and waste from Medicare!”

Rep. Barton also questioned the administration’s energy policy: “I am concerned about not working on energy conservation and renewable energy, mostly because it’s a matter of national security,” he said. “I also want to restate here my strong attachment to drilling in Alaska.”

OMB Director Joshua Bolton countered that the research into renewable energy and conservation was hampering private investment, citing the Toyota Prius as an example of the market producing a much better hybrid vehicle, and more quickly, than the government did despite years of research funding.

Several Democrats raised concerns about the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), calling it a hidden tax on the middle class that the administration has not addressed.

“The budget must address the Alternative Minimum Tax, which will increase taxes for almost 31 million middle-class taxpayers by 2010,” Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Minority Whip, had said prior to the meeting.

“The administration wants to compile recommendations into a comprehensive tax reform package that will be the centerpiece of the president’s 2006 domestic agenda,” said Bolton, adding that the package will address simplification of the tax code, closing loopholes, and making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent, in addition to the AMT.

Not all members were satisfied by the administration’s justification of their budget.

“This bill is the legislative equivalent of crack, said Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). “It yields a short-term high but does long-term damage to the system, and it's expensive to boot.”