Politics & Government

Schneider Backs Bipartisan Budget Effort

North Shore Congressman favors spending plan creating certainty through September of 2015. Schneider sponsored legislation helping Israel gets unanimous House approval.

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) said today he intends to vote for the bipartisan budget finalized Tuesday by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-W) which will set federal government spending through September 2015.

Providing the framework contained in the budget is approved by both houses of Congress and the details ratified in an appropriations bill by Jan. 15, the two pieces of legislation will eliminate the need for continuing resolutions which led to a government shutdown in September.

The overall $1.012 trillion discretionary spending portion of the budget was a compromise between the House proposal of $967 billion and the Senate’s suggestion of $1.058 trillion. Schneider is not thrilled by all parts of the compromise.

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"While far from perfect, it represents a good faith effort to provide our businesses, families and communities with the stability and certainty that’s been sorely lacking from Washington,” Schneider said in a news release.

In part, the proposed budget reduces mandatory spending cuts scheduled to go into effect by $63 billion and reduces the federal deficit by between $20 billion and $23 billion.

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Schneider was unhappy the proposed budget does not extend unemployment benefits beyond six months and recognizes it does not resolve the nation’s biggest fiscal challenges. He does see help to economic growth.

“It does avert another irresponsible government shutdown, replace a portion of the harmful sequester cuts and invest in core initiatives like infrastructure and research and development that help our economy grow," Schneider said in the release.

 

A vote is scheduled by the House of Representatives Thursday, according to Schneider Communications Director Staci McCabe.

Legislation Supporting Israel Gets Unanimous Approval

In a House vote today, the Israel Qualitative Military Edge Enhancement Act sponsored by Schneider and Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) was given unanimous approval by the House ofb Representatives today, 399-0. It now goes to the Senate.

The legislation assures Israel will retain its qualitative military edge over other nations in the Middle East.

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