NCJW Decries Proposed Federal Budget

February 8, 2006, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) has decried the administration's fiscal year 2007 budget for its misplaced priorities. NCJW President Phyllis Snyder released the following statement:

"At a time when income inequality has increased to a level not seen since the 1920s, and the number of families in poverty is growing, the administration's new budget proposals would cut social programs yet again, while extending tax cuts to the wealthiest among us. The cuts are doubly cruel coming on the heels of the Budget Reconciliation Act passed just last week, which enacted drastic cuts for this fiscal year in many crucial social programs.

"The new budget would cut the social service block grant programs by $500 million and freeze funds for child care and education programs that assist the children of the working poor and disadvantaged. The cumulative effect of the freezes would mean, for example, that 650,000 fewer children would benefit from childcare assistance by 2011. Other programs targeting poor children would be eliminated completely.

"The proposed funding for food and nutrition programs would actually decrease the number of people receiving food stamps and children receiving free school lunches. It would reduce services provided through the Women and Infant Care (WIC) program and completely eliminate the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides food to more than 400,000 low-income seniors.

"In addition, the budget freezes funding for most birth control and sex education, while increasing funding for discredited abstinence-only programs.

"In all, this budget reflects the ongoing misguided priorities of the administration's domestic program. And it will make the lives of millions of Americans more difficult. NCJW calls on Congress to reverse this course and restore critical programs and services."

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Rebecca Cole
212 645 4048 x182; rcole@ncjw.org