February 15, 2006
A Difficult Balance
By Jon Kyl
President
Bush this week unveiled to Congress his proposed 2007 federal
budget which outlines spending for federal government agencies
and shapes tax initiatives intended to continue our economic growth.
It continues
the successful pro-growth policies that have encouraged economic
growth and job creation over the past year, and specifically calls
on Congress to make permanent the tax relief initiatives from
2001 and 2003 to ensure that the United States sustains a stimulative
economic trend. President Bush during the State of the Union best
encapsulates our mission, stating that “if we do nothing,
American families will face a massive tax increase they do not
expect and will not welcome.”
It’s
important to note that critics of the President’s budget
will claim the tax reductions over the past few years caused economic
damage. The opposite is the case. They have helped generate over
4.7 million new jobs since full implementation, kept us on track
to cut the national deficit in half by 2009, and produced 2005
revenues of $274 billion more than in 2004. The best way to ensure
that we can fund our priorities is to continue to support pro-growth
tax policies.
I was also
pleased to see the funding requests I made for crucial ports of
entry along the Arizona/Mexico border were fulfilled in the President’s
proposed budget. Among my high-priority requests, $42 million
will be directed toward the construction of the new port of entry
at San Luis, near Yuma, and the second puts $9.8 million toward
reconfiguration and improvements at the Nogales-Mariposa port
of entry. The completion of these projects promises relief from
miles-long delays that have hampered economic development in our
border region.
I also laud
the President’s proposals to fortify security along the
Southern border. Among the many border security and immigration
initiatives, the President has requested:
* $458.9
million to provide 1,500 new Border Patrol Agents, bringing the
total number of agents added to 3,000 since 2005, and representing
a 42 percent increase in the Border Patrol Agent workforce since
9/11.
* $41.7 million
for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to strengthen worksite
enforcement. A more robust worksite enforcement program will send
a strong deterrence message to employers who knowingly hire illegal
workers, reduce the economic incentive for illegal immigration,
and help restore the integrity of employment laws.
* $135 million
to expand the current employment-verification pilot program to
support a national verification requirement.
* $29.7 million
for the Southwest Border Prosecution Initiative – a program
originally created with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison – to fund
prosecutor’s offices in the Southwest for processing, detaining,
and prosecuting drug cases.
While these
requests represent a positive step toward securing our borders,
we still have a long way to go, and the Senate must work toward
completing and passing comprehensive legislation that will augment
the President’s security approach. As the budget process
moves forward, I will continue to make the case for border security
and immigration improvements and will work to secure the appropriations
needed this year.
While recognizing
the positive steps made in the proposed 2007 federal budget, I’d
be remiss if I did not note my concerns that enough funding isn’t
allocated to prevent and contain wildfires in Arizona and the
Southwest. As Arizona is seeing its driest winters in history,
the fires that engulfed the Payson area have ravaged over 3000
acres of National Forest. The budget proposal for the Forest Service
cuts fire preparedness by $10 million and other fire operations
by nearly 36 percent. Preventing and containing wildfires on National
Forests is a federal responsibility, and I am not convinced that
there is enough funding in this budget to reduce the wildfire
risk to our communities and the surrounding landscapes.
The ability of the
federal government to fund provisions as outlined will depend
on the spirit and willingness of taxpayers to assist with the
cost. The American public is generous as long as it knows that
representatives in Congress are taking the most streamlined and
fiscally responsible approach. This President’s proposal
is a good start, and I look forward to working with my Senate
colleagues to build upon this foundation.
Sen.
Kyl serves on the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees and
chairs the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Visit his website
at www.kyl.senate.gov.
