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PHOTO: President Bush Speaks to Joint Session of CongressThe President's Budget & District of Columbia

The President’s Budget funds America’s priorities, provides the largest debt reduction in history and provides fair and responsible tax relief. In Washington, DC, the budget:

CheckBenefits an estimated 34,000 District of Columbia small businesses and entrepreneurs by reducing marginal tax rates and making the Research & Development tax credit permanent.

CheckProvides tax relief for roughly 210,000 District of Columbia citizens who pay taxes.

CheckProvides relief for an estimated 43,000 District of Columbia married couples by reducing the Marriage Penalty.

CheckProvides relief for an estimated 37,000 District of Columbia families by doubling the Child Tax Credit.

CheckIncreases District of Columbia's education funding over current levels to more than $138.6 million to give local schools more tools to ensure that no child is left behind.

CheckIncreases District of Columbia’s Head Start funding over current levels to more than $24 million to better prepare District of Columbia children for success in school.

CheckIncreases funding to more than $186 million in housing assistance and services for low-income District of Columbia citizens.

CheckProvides an estimated $976,000 in funding for water resource projects along District of Columbia’s rivers and waterways.

CheckProvides more than $19 million to fund District of Columbia environmental protection efforts.

CheckProvides more than $748,000 to help conserve District of Columbia’s natural resources – a 494% increase over current levels just for District of Columbia.

CheckProvides an estimated $111 million in highway funding for District of Columbia.

CheckProvides $391 million for programs and grants to help local fire departments and emergency services in District of Columbia and all across America with training, equipment, and fire fighting and lifesaving efforts.

CheckProvides a $5.6 billion National Emergency Reserve to aid District of Columbia and other states struck by disasters.

CheckIncreases funding over current levels to more than $7.7 million to help more District of Columbia children awaiting adoption find loving homes faster.

The President’s Budget Funds Important Priorities for District of Columbia:

CheckImproving Education. Provides the Education Department with the largest percentage spending increase of any federal department (11.5% or $4.6 billion) and triples funding for children’s reading programs.

CheckProtecting Social Security. Locks away every penny of the $2.6 trillion Social Security surplus for Social Security.

CheckPreserving Medicare. Spends every dime of Medicare receipts over the next 10 years only for Medicare, increases funding over the next year by $21 billion, and modernizes Medicare with an integrated prescription drug benefit.

CheckStrengthening Defense. Improves quality of life of our troops and their families and begins the transition to a 21st century force.

CheckImproving Healthcare. Doubles funding for NIH medical research on important health issues like cancer, the largest funding increase in NIH history. Creates more than 1,200 new community health centers nationwide to make health care more accessible.

CheckProtecting the Environment. Fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund – a $900 million commitment, with more than $748,000 targeted for District of Columbia’s conservation efforts; gives the EPA the second highest operating budget ever -- $3.7 billion, with an estimated $19 million targeted for District of Columbia’s environmental efforts; and increases funding for the EPA $56 million above the amount requested by President Clinton.

District of Columbia Will Benefit from the President’s Historic Debt Reduction:

CheckThe President’s Budget provides the fastest, largest debt reduction in history and reduces the debt to its lowest share of the economy since World War I, which will benefit District of Columbia citizens in many important ways.

  • Lower government debt means lower interest rates on District of Columbia citizens’ home mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other expenses.

  • Future generations of District of Columbia citizens will not be burdened with repaying our debt obligations.

Fair and Responsible Tax Relief for all District of Columbia Taxpayers:

CheckProvides the typical family of four in District of Columbia paying income taxes $1,600 in tax relief.

CheckAn estimated 210,000 District of Columbia taxpayers stand to benefit by the new, lowered rate structure.

CheckAn estimated 34,000 District of Columbia small businesses and entrepreneurs stand to benefit from the tax cut.

Check1 in 5 taxpaying families with children will no longer pay any income tax at all – completely removing 6 million American families from the tax rolls.

CheckA family of four in District of Columbia making $35,000 a year will receive a 100% federal income tax cut.

CheckA family of four in District of Columbia making $50,000 a year will receive a 50% tax cut – receiving at least $1,600.

CheckA family of four in District of Columbia making $75,000 a year will receive a 25% tax cut.

CheckThe marginal income tax rate on low-income families will fall by more than 40%.