Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

U.S. SENATOR Jeff Bingaman

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Contact Senator Bingaman's Office:

Jude McCartin
Maria Najera
703 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521

Budget Resolution Spotlight Health Care Reform, Education, Energy and Other Key Domestic Initiatives

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve a budget blueprint for 2010 that invests in health care, education and green energy, while providing tax cuts for middle income Americans.

The 2010 Budget Resolution provides Congress with a spending blueprint as the House and Senate gear up to write the bills that fund the federal government. 

Bingaman said he is pleased that the proposal makes room in the budget to implement health care reform so that it will not add to the nation’s deficit.  He is also glad the budget resolution supports early childhood education and initiatives to raise student achievement.   And he applauded provisions in the resolution that increase by up to 10 percent investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“This budget blueprint gives priority to education and health care -- areas I feel have been given short shrift in recent years.  I’m also glad it focuses on the need to continue investing in green energy initiatives, a move that I believe will create jobs and strengthen our economy,” Bingaman said.  “We make these important investments even while reducing the tax burden on middle income Americans.  This budget proposal is good for New Mexico.”

The Senate approved the budget proposal on President Obama’s 100^th day in office.  During the past three months, Congress has passed -- and the president has signed -- the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a bill to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and legislation to promote equality in the workplace. 

Also within the first 100 days, Bingaman was able to help better secure New Mexico’s border region.   For example, he secured $15 million to expand Project Gunrunner, an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) initiative that seeks to stem the flow of guns from the United States to Mexico.  He also helped secure $30 million in grant funding for border law enforcement agencies to ensure they have the tools they need to fight crime. 

“This has been a very productive three months.  With the passage of the recovery package, we are making the kind of short-term investments that will help turn our economy around.  And through this budget resolution, we have outlined a spending plan that will strengthen our economy in the long run,” Bingaman said.  “I think we are off to a good start.”