http://www.sanders.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=270347 Thank God we have a rational independant-socialist voice in our senate. I would love to see this Act passed.
Washington D.C. -- Citing spiraling income disparity in America, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today introduced legislation to expand opportunities for the middle-class, lower the poverty rate and keep commitments to veterans, senior citizens, children's health care and other national priorities by repealing tax breaks for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans while expanding tax relief for working families.
Sanders' legislation, The National Priorities Act of 2007, also would redirect $60 billion in the Pentagon budget by ending outdated Cold War-era weapons programs and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. The Pentagon provision would prohibit achieving any of the savings by shortchanging basic needs of military personnel, including pay raises and health care.
"The Senate must pass a budget that will expand the shrinking middle class, reduce the enormous gap between the rich and the poor, keep our promises to our nation's veterans, reduce our record-breaking national debt and lower the poverty rate," Sanders said in a Senate floor speech. "The best way to accomplish these goals is to repeal the president's tax breaks for the wealthiest 1 percent, eliminate waste, fraud and abuse at the Pentagon and use this revenue for the many unmet needs of this country."
A member of the Senate Budget Committee, Sanders also proposed to devote a portion of the restored revenue - $30 billion - to reduce the federal deficit.
A budget, Sanders told colleagues, "is more than just a long list of numbers, it is a statement of our values and priorities. It is about taking a hard look at the needs of our people and prioritizing the budget in an intelligent and rational way."