Budget Debate Information Update/Fri. 3:45 p.m/April 6, 2001

The U.S. Senate passed the budget/tax plan Friday afternoon in a vote of 65-35. Senator Leahy voted no. Though the plan was improved somewhat through amendments adopted during the week (including the Leahy amendments, below), Senator Leahy believes the bill remains fiscally irresponsible by basing most of its tax provisions on risky long-term economic forecasts; is unfairly tilted toward the wealthiest 1 percent, leaving thousands of working Vermonters without any tax relief; and does not commit Congress to paying off the national debt.

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Major Leahy amendments APPROVED by the Senate during debate on the budget/tax plan:

LEAHY LAW ENFORCEMENT AMENDMENT

Restores $1.5 billion for local and state law enforcement assistance funds

FRIST-LEAHY HIV/AIDS AMENDMENT

Adds $200 million in FY02 and $500 million in FY03 to help address the AIDS epidemic, especially in Africa

SMITH-LEAHY CONSERVATION AMENDMENT

$1.3 billion in FY02 for voluntary, incentive-based conservation agriculture and forestry programs on private lands. These include Leahy’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Leahy’s Farmland Protection Program, WRP, WHIP and others.

LINCOLN-LEAHY AGRICULTURE AMENDMENT

An increase of $4 billion in FY01emergency funds for overall agriculture funds, including specialty crops (Senator Grassley's earlier $63.5 billion agriculture amendment added $5 billion in FY01, for a total of $9 billion).

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