• Afghanistan
• Africa
• Budget Management
• Defense
• Economy
• Education
• Energy
• Environment
• Global Diplomacy
• Health Care
• Homeland Security
• Immigration
• International Trade
• Iraq
• Judicial Nominations
• Middle East
• National Security
• Veterans

President Bush’s FY09 Budget and Florida

The President’s Budget reaches balance in 2012, while continuing to invest in the Nation’s safety and prosperity.  Critical to continued deficit reduction is a growing economy, and for that reason the Budget makes tax relief permanent, and proposes other pro-growth policies to improve the quality of education, expand access to affordable health care, address the rising cost of energy and help Americans keep their homes.  Also vital to deficit reduction is spending restraint and the 2009 Budget holds domestic discretionary spending in check while beginning to address our long-term budgetary challenge of unsustainable entitlement spending.

Focusing On National Priorities

Addresses Immediate Economic Challenges

• Includes a bipartisan economic growth package that spurs investment and strengthens the Nation’s economy.
• Promotes and preserves the American dream of homeownership though education and assistance to combat foreclosures and maintain a stable, healthy housing market.

Ensures Sustained Prosperity

• Makes tax relief permanent for long-term economic growth and sustainability. 
• Improves Americans’ access to affordable health care by fostering a private marketplace, encouraging competition and improving efficiency.
• Builds on the success of the No Child Left Behind Act by supporting proposals to reauthorize and strengthen the law and increase our students’ competitiveness.
• Keeps the U.S. the most innovative nation in the world by implementing the American Competitiveness Initiative.
• Increases energy security by focusing on renewables, accelerating technological breakthroughs and expanding traditional sources to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

Keeps America Safe

• Supports the national defense and funding for America’s troops.
• Enhances homeland security and terrorism prevention.
• Promotes peace, democracy, and economic opportunity worldwide through diplomatic, development, and reconstruction activities and increased civilian capabilities.

Balances the Budget by 2012

• Maintains proven pro-growth policies – keeping taxes low and restraining government spending – to ensure the deficit up-tick is temporary and manageable. 
• Continues to address the long-term challenge of unsustainable entitlement spending.
• Improves results of government programs and instills greater transparency so that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, or not at all.
• Introduces a new culture of accountability on wasteful earmarks.

How the President’s Budget Benefits Florida

$142.5 million in the School Breakfast Program helps to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and encourage them to eat healthy foods grown and produced in the U.S. 

$464.8 million in the National School Lunch Program provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches and is intended to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and support domestic agricultural production.

$325.1 million in the Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children safeguards the health of low-income women, infants, and children who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods.

$133.9 million in the Child and Adult Care Food Program supports nonprofit food service programs for children in child care centers and family day care homes, and to adults in day care settings.

$72.3 million for the Food Stamp Program alleviates hunger and malnutrition among low-income individuals by providing eligible households coupons or electronic benefits redeemable for food and retail stores.

$684.4 million for Grants to Local Education Agencies helps improve the performance of low-achieving students or, in the care of schoolwide programs, to help all students in high-poverty schools to meet challenging State academic standards.

$615 million for Special Education Grants to States helps to provide special education and related services to children with disabilities.

$153 million in Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants provide a wide range of services designed to help persons with disabilities prepare for and engage in gainful employment to the extent of their capabilities.

$268.9 million for Head Start funding to prepare low-income children succeed in school by providing comprehensive child development programs to children under five and their families.   

$69.9 million for adoption assistance to help parents adopt children with special needs. It also funds recruitment of adoptive parents to encourage adoption of low-income children with substantial physical, emotional, and mental health needs.   

$708.4 million for the Housing Choice Voucher Program to help millions of low-income households across the state afford decent, safe and sanitary housing.  

$87.6 million for the HOME program provides grants to expand the supply of affordable housing for low income families.  

$1.6 billion for the Highway Infrastructure Program to provide financial grants and technical assistance to construct, maintain, and improve the performance of the Nation's highway system in accordance with federal policy goals.