FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 1995
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
WASHINGTON, DC -- "The Coalition's budget reconciliation plan received 72 votes today, 4 of them being Republican, and even though the plan that passed the House was the Republican's bill, I believe once this process is complete, we will have done the right thing for this country," said Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District), co-chair of The Coalition.
"We knew we wouldn't win during this 1st inning, but once the ninth inning comes around, the budget reconciliation plan signed into law will be closer to The Coalition's plan than the one that passed the House today," Peterson said. "The President has already said he will veto this GOP budget reconciliation plan, and The Coalition plans on being very involved in what happens once budget reconciliation goes to conference.
"We think the GOP's bill is unworkable and unfair," Peterson said. "About the only identical part of their plan and The Coalition's plan is they both balance the budget by 2002. But our plan results in less debt than theirs; our plan restores funding for education, rural health, research and economic development programs; our plan does not require cuts in student loans; and our plan requires $8 billion less cuts in agriculture programs. In addition, our plan makes responsible and sustainable reforms in health care programs -- $100 billion less in Medicare cuts and $100 billion less in Medicaid cuts than the GOP bill.
"Getting 72 votes on The Coalition package was a remarkable showing for us in that it proves there are Members out there who support our ideas," Peterson continued. "And those Members who supported our package aren't the only ones who can see that our plan is better. The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Concord Coalition all endorsed The Coalition's budget reconciliation package this week."