Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) Strikes The Last Word

Today, House Republicans brought another bill (HR 1216) to the House floor that does not address jobs and wastes time in a futile attempt to repeal part of the Affordable Care Act. House Democrats are staging a "mini-filibuster" by "striking the last word" allowing them five minutes of time to discuss their strong opposition to the Republican-passed budget which ends Medicare as we know it and forces seniors to pay over $6,000 more a year.

Weiner: I move to strike the last word Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, you may recall I was standing here approximately two hours ago waiting to speak with several other members on the efforts of my Republican friends to eliminate Medicare as we know it and for reasons that are known only to the Chair, I was denied the ability to do that. Well, I’m back. And just to review the bidding, here’s where it was before that order was made. We had the Chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, a good man, a guy I like, stand down in the well and say, ‘Oh, no’ (and this by the way is someone who is elected by the Republican members to represent them in races all around the country) saying that the Ryan plan wasn’t a plan it was and I’m quoting here, “a construct to develop a plan” and he said the proposal is not a voucher program and then he said it was a one size fits all, that Medicare was draining our economy is what he said.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that might be the rationale for our Republican friends wanting to eliminate Medicare, but none of those things are true. It is not a ‘construct to develop a plan’ it is the proposal of the Republican party of the United States of America to eliminate Medicare as a guaranteed entitlement. If you don’t believe me, go get the book that they wrote, go get the budget that they wrote, go get the bill that they wrote.

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News and Notes from Rep Anthony D. Weiner - NY 9th Congressional District

GOP Budget Would Cut Queens to Its Core

Weiner Study Highlights Impact of More Than $25 Billion

in Funding Cuts To Borough Over 10 Years

Today, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) released a study highlighting how the GOP budget plan to be considered this week would cut funding to Queens by more than $25 billion over 10 years, slashing money for cops, transportation, seniors and education.

Under the Republican budget plan, more than $25 billion in federal aid to Queens would be cut over 10 years. During a time when the City is facing a massive budget deficit, this proposal would force major cuts in programs like Medicare and Medicaid, hurting countless seniors and low-income residents in the borough. Title I education funding would be cut by over $205 million, and federal grants to the NYPD would be cut by $111 million. This could mean that more than 425 cops would be taken off the streets of Queens.

Additionally, if the GOP budget passes, over the next decade the MTA would lose over $667 million that is used to fund vital rail and bus infrastructure and security projects throughout Queens, and the more than 300,000 seniors in the borough would lose their guaranteed Medicare benefits and be forced to pay additional premium costs.

"The GOP budget is not about debt reduction, it’s about increasing the dangerous inequities in our economy and society. It is an assault on the middle class and those struggling to make it.”

Weiner’s study found the following:

CUTS TO QUEENS OVER 10 YEARS: MORE THAN $25 BILLION

Medicare

· The over 300,000 seniors in Queens would lose their guaranteed Medicare benefits and be forced to pay premium costs that the new proposed subsidy doesn’t cover. (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and U.S. Census)

Medicaid

• Medicaid costs would be shifted to Queens residents as state and local taxes revenue would need to cover the over $20 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years contained within this budget proposal. (NYC OMB and Center for Budget and Policy Priorities)

SNAP Program

• The SNAP Program will now be tied to a block grant program with benefits contingent upon on work or job training. Over 96,000 Queens residents would lose their SNAP benefits and Queens would see $1.7 billion cut in funding over 10 years. (U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Census)

Education

• Title I funding, which provides funding for primary and secondary schools, would be cut by over $205 million over 10 years.(NYC Independent Budget Office (IBO)
• Pell Grants which provide grants for lower income college students would be cut by $1 billion over 10 years and the maximum Pell Grant award would be cut by $819 per student. (NYC Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Census)

Law Enforcement

• Federal grants to the New York Police Department for Queens would be cut by $111 million over 10 years. This could mean that 425 cops are taken off the streets of Queens. (NYC IBO)

Housing

• The Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) which helps the lowest-income New Yorkers stay warm would be cut by over $68 million over 10 years. (NYC OMB)
• Section 8 vouchers which provide vouchers for low-income families to locate decent, safe, and affordable housing would be cut by over $83 million to NYC over 10 years. (NYC IBO)
• The Public Housing Operating Fund, which provides subsidies to public housing agencies, would be cut by nearly $310 million over 10 years. (NYC IBO)
• The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which funds local Queens community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development, would experience over $53 million in cuts over 10 years. (NYC IBO)
• The HOME investment partnerships program, which works with nonprofit groups to build, buy, and rehabilitate affordable housing would be cut by $4 million over 10 years. (NYC IBO)
• The Public Housing Capital Fund, which provides funding for the development and modernization of public housing, would be cut by $22 million over 10 years. (NYC IBO)

Transportation

• MTA would lose over $667 million over 10 years that is used to fund vital rail and bus infrastructure and security projects throughout Queens. (Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA))

Human Services

• The Child Care and Development Fund which provides subsidies for child care for low-income families so that parents can work would be cut by nearly $20 million over 10 years. (NYC IBO)
• Community Services Block Grants which provides funding to assist with employment, education, nutrition and emergency services for the homeless, migrants and the elderly would be cut nearly $10 million over 10 years. (NYC IBO)

Infrastructure

• The Drinking Water Revolving Fund which works to ensure that local residents receive clean and safe drinking water would be cut by $150 million for Queens. (NYC OMB)
• The Clean Water Revolving Fund which works to ensures that local communities can provide clean and sanitary wastewater treatment services for their residents would be cut by $778 million over 10 years for Queens. (NYC OMB)

Job Training

• Queens job training and workforce investment which provides adult workforce training, job-related activities for young adults, and dislocated workers programs would be cut by over $94 million over 10 years. (NYC IBO)

Weiner on President’s Budget Speech: “Today, We Go on Offense”

With President Obama set to give a major speech today outlining his plan for the budget, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) released the following statement:

"Now it's our turn. For months, we have heard the one-note attacks by the GOP on the middle class and those struggling to make it. Medicare, student loans and women's health have all been under attack.”

“Today, we go on offense.”

Weiner Announces $281 Million in Pell Grants for Local Students

More Than 67,000 Will Receive Vital Education Aid in Queens Alone

Today, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) announced that more than 67,000 Queens students will receive $281 million in Pell Grants this year to help cover the rising costs of a college education.

Federal Pell Grants provide need-based assistance to low-income students to help promote access to college and postsecondary education. This year, students across the nation are eligible to receive up to $5,550 each in Pell Grants, which are not required to be repaid.

In Queens alone, over 67,000 students will receive more than $281 million in aid – with an average grant of $4,136 per student. The announcement, however, comes in the midst of attempts by Congressional Republicans to cut the important grant by $1 billion over the next ten years in Queens.

Republicans in Congress, led by Rep. Paul Ryan, are proposing to reduce the maximum Pell Grant award by $819 per student beginning next year. If successful, the maximum Pell Grant will be slashed to $4,731 – a reduction of more than 14 percent. With the cost of higher education rising every year, the GOP proposal would devastate a vital lifeline for students in the borough.

"During a time when colleges are raising tuition, Pell Grants are an important tool in helping students get the education they deserve and the education they need to succeed in the 21^st century workplace,” Weiner said. “$281 million in Pell Grants for Queens is great news, but it’s also a reminder of what’s at stake next year if the draconian budget being pushed by Republicans actually passes.”