GOP protest strips state funding for children's programs

GOP protest strips state funding for children's programs

Action in the Alabama House stalled Thursday over bills to fund programs for children and victims of domestic abuse as Republicans protested the manner in which a $1.53 billion General Fund budget passed the body.

Republican legislators used stalling tactics Thursday to slow down action as the House was unable to get enough votes to consider a bill to fund domestic violence centers around the state. Another bill to fund children advocacy centers failed when the House could not get the 70 votes needed to fund non-state agencies, with most Republican lawmakers not voting.

The House adjourned for an 11-day spring break while debating a bill to appropriate more than $64 million from a national tobacco settlement to spend on various programs aimed at helping children.

<snip> and, regarding the GOP 'protest,' :puke:

Lori Price

I'd lay bets that almost all of these children are minorities.

Sue

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0321/p15s01-cogn.html

It's hard being poor in America. It's not just the stagnant minimum wage, which Congress failed to raise this month, or the lack of unemployment insurance benefits for many, since legislators failed last year to extend them for the long-term jobless.

Future cuts in federal aid for the poor look even worse. President Bush's budget for 2006 would reduce spending on early childhood education and child care, home energy assistance and rental assistance, and nutrition assistance to pregnant women, infants, and young children, Washington experts say.

Now, Congress is deliberating whether to punch another hole in the biggest safety net of all for those with little income - Medicaid and the related State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Next to Social Security and Medicare, which serve all income brackets, Medicaid and SCHIP stand as Uncle Sam's biggest social program.

They support 1 in 6 Americans and cover 1 in 4 children. Among low-income children and parents, they provide health insurance for more than 38 million Americans. Medicaid is a critical source of acute and long-term care coverage for 12 million elderly and disabled individuals, including 6 million low-income beneficiaries of Medicare with medical problems not paid for by that health program.

...more...

:(