In the midst of tax season, while citizens are taking stock of their household finances, the Senate is debating the federal government's budget. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have now passed President Bush's budget and can now proceed to fund government programs and provide some tax relief to the American people.
Official projections show there is a surplus in the federal budget.
The next step is allocation of the surplus. A great virtue of the President's budget is its commitment to paying down our national debt. In addition to much-needed tax relief and debt reduction, this budget would raise spending on important and necessary programs by almost 60 percent. Education is a priority for America's future. Recognizing this, the President has asked for an increase in education spending and a tripling of available funding for reading programs over the next five years.