federal budget

Nixon says no budget cuts for month

The Associated Press — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:13:12 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan's budget director says he doesn't expect automatic federal budget cuts scheduled to take effect Friday to start hitting state programs for a month.

John Nixon told The Associated Press on Tuesday he expects there will be "real cuts to real people."

But he says it's too early to know the true impact on jobs and Michigan residents, and he doesn't think the Obama administration knows yet either.

Federal dollars supply more than half Michigan's budget. Nixon says he's hearing from experts that cuts won't hit state government immediately because the federal budget is funded through March 27.

Big program like Medicaid and food stamps won't be affected. But Nixon says he's concerned about cuts to home heating assistance, food aid for low-income pregnant women and job training.

Stateside: One Detroiter's opportunity to speak directly to lawmakers

Stateside Staff — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:10:39 +0000

Not many people have the opportunity to speak directly with legislators about priorities within the federal budget, but Detroit area resident Mary Kate Cartmill is going to get that opportunity this week.

Cartmill has been chosen to meet on Capitol Hill this week with legislators to discuss the impact federal spending cuts will have on the poorest and most at-risk people here at home.

Michigan Radio's Cynthia Canty spoke with Cartmill about her upcoming experience.

You can listen to the full Stateside interview above.

US Congressmen Amash, Huizenga weigh in on “sequestration” debate

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 22:12:20 +0000

President Obama and leaders in Congress will need to agree on a way to reduce the federal budget deficit to avoid automatic, sweeping cuts in January. There’s concern that the cuts could have a damaging effect on the economy and military programs.

The cuts are looming because Congress authorized the federal government to borrow more money last summer. In exchange, a bi-partisan super committee (Michigan Congressmen Dave Camp and Fred Upton served on the committee) was supposed to come up with a plan to cut the federal deficit. But that committee failed.

Congressman Justin Amash says, yeah, he called it.

"…That they would raise the debt ceiling, borrow more and then later on say ‘oh we don’t want to do these cuts’ and that’s exactly what’s happening,” Amash said.

Amash, who represents Michigan’s 3^rddistrict, was the only Republican from Michigan to vote against what he says was a “phony plan” to begin with.

Former Governor Engler: No kicking the can

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:58:29 +0000

Former Michigan Governor John Engler says politicians in Washington need to make important decisions now, despite the general election coming in November.

Engler is now President of Business Roundtable, a national association of CEOs.

He says politicians have a lot of tough decisions to make to keep the U.S. competitive globally. That includes decisions on energy and education; but most importantly, he says, decisions about the tax code and the federal deficit. Engler says those decisions need to made as quickly as possible.

Senator Stabenow “disappointed” in super committee; pushes Agriculture plan

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:16:13 +0000

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow says she’s “disappointed” the congressional super committee did not come to an agreement to cut the federal budget deficit.

Stabenow chairs the Senate’s Agriculture committee. The committee (along with the House Agriculture Committee) came up with bipartisan recommendations to cut $23 billion from the Department of Agriculture.

Amash says he's gaining support for plan to balance federal budget

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:36:54 +0000

Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) is pushing for a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. Amash shared his proposal with a group of college students Monday night and he’ll host a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Barry County.

Amash is one of 66 Republicans who voted against raising the debt ceiling back in August. He says he’d vote against a deal again if “it’s not very serious” about reducing federal spending.

How would you fix the federal budget deficit?

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:00:13 +0000

Congressman Fred Upton is looking for your ideas on how to reduce the federal budget deficit.

Upton is one of twelve lawmakers selected to serve on a special Congressional committee that will try to come up with a compromise on long-term spending.

Seven of the twelve lawmakers on the special committee will have to agree on a proposal in order to get it to the full Congress for approval. Last month, Upton called it “an enormous task.”

Upton calls work to reduce long-term spending “an enormous task”

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:25:39 +0000

Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) discussed the U.S. economy, health care reform, and the future of Social Security at a forum in Kalamazoo Monday.

Upton is one of twelve lawmakers selected to serve on a special Congressional committee. That committee will try to determine a compromise on long-term spending to help reduce the federal deficit.

Upton says the federal debt is “unsustainable”. He says the way to fix it is to get the economy moving so more people can get a job.

President Obama talks economy, political gridlock in Holland

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:46:09 +0000

President Obama toured an advanced battery manufacturing plant in Holland Michigan this afternoon. The newly retooled plant will produce batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles.

The facility is one of two new advanced battery plants in Holland that recieved money from president Obama’s stimulus package. The president called the plant “one the most advanced factories in the world.”

He says the new plant is leading the way in the advanced battery industry.

“That just doesn’t mean jobs in Michigan you’re buying equipment and parts from suppliers in Florida and New Mexico and Ohio and Wisconsin and all across America.”

Listen to Obama's full 25 minute speech here.

Congressman Hansen Clark talks federal budget and debt ceiling (audio)

Jennifer White, Zoe Clark and Mercedes Mejia — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 22:06:04 +0000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-978280.mp3

A CBS poll on Monday shows 66% of Americans want an approach to balancing the federal budget that includes both spending cuts and tax increases.

Michigan Democratic Congressman Hansen Clarke talks about his concerns regarding the battle in Washington DC over the debt ceiling and budget negotiations. He says consumer debt is the real problem.

In the interview Clarke says:

Michigan politics: debt ceiling talks and the federal budget

Jennifer White — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:47:36 +0000

Negotiations over the debt ceiling and federal budget continue in Washington D. C.

Here in Michigan the still fragile state economy seems to be slowly improving with a recent uptick in job growth. But if the nation defaults on its debt, how is Michigan affected? Economically and politically?

In our weekly political conversation we talk with Susan Demas, political analyst for Michigan Information and Research Service and Ken Sikkema, former Senate Majority Leader and senior policy fellow for Public Sector Consultants.

Moody's puts U.S. credit rating on review for possible downgrade

Mark Memmott and Eyder Peralta — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:08:42 +0000

As the clock ticks down to the Aug. 2 deadline to raise the debt ceiling, Moody's Investor Service became the first of the big-three rating agencies to put the United States' Aaa credit rating on review for possible downgrade.

Reuters reports:

In a statement, Moody's said it sees a "rising possibility that the statutory debt limit will not be raised on a timely basis, leading to a default on U.S.

Tea Party Caucus and budget negotiations (audio)

Jennifer White, Zoe Clark and Mercedes Mejia — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:35:39 +0000

The divide over budget and debt ceiling talks continues between Congressional Republicans and Democrats. Within the Republican Party, the Tea Party Caucus is a prominent voice against any deal that contains tax increases.

Republican Congressman Tim Walberg represents Michigan’s 7^th district and is a member of the Tea Party Caucus. He spoke with Michigan Radio's Jennifer White about what he thinks it might take for both Republicans and Democrats to agree on a budget.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-977264.mp3

Budget Workshop (audio)

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:32:15 +0000

Michigan Democratic Congressman Gary Peters is partnering with the non-partisan Concord Coalition to present a town hall forum tonight.

Peters and the Coalition will lay out some facts and details of the federal government’s revenue and expenses, and then people will break into groups to talk about how to balance the budget. Michigan Radio's Jennifer White sat down with Peters to get more on the forum.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-975324.mp3

Democratic and Republican leaders are locked in an ongoing struggle over the federal budget.

Congressman Peters says:

"We’ve got a standoff in Washington. People aren’t working together. There are a lot of special interests involved pulling and tugging there."

The goal of the forum is to introduce some non-partisan, common-sense problem solving in to the mix, according to Peters.

Federal workers protest possible government shutdown

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:46:52 +0000

At Social Security Offices across the nation Wednesday workers stood outside and rallied against the looming government shutdown. Workers say House Republicans’ proposal to cut nearly $2 billion in SSA funding would lead to incredible delays for people in need.

Kathy Jackson works directly with individuals making Social Security claims. She says a shutdown could harm some of the nation’s most vulnerable people who aren’t able to manage delay’s as well as others.

“If you’re shut down for even two days, people have deadlines that they have to meet. The problem is a lot of our clients are disabled so a wait for them is not the same for you or I.”

Jackson says if people aren’t able to meet certain filing deadlines they can lose their eligibility for healthcare and housing programs that elderly, veterans, and disabled people need to survive. She says if people miss their chance because of a shutdown, they could be forced to start the process over.

Kenn Keillor is president of the Grand Rapids local AFGE union. He says the House Republican’s proposal would mean a loss of 200-thousand jobs that both workers and people receiving services rely on.

"I’m a lot more effective inside doing my job than I am sitting at home drawing unemployment. If you don’t want welfare, then you’ve got to pay workers enough to raise their families. It’s not going to help anybody if we’re sent home on Monday.”

Keillor says federal employees across the country plan to head to work Monday morning whether there is a shutdown or not. The AFGE union covers workers with the Social Security Administration, Veteran’s Administration, Department of Defense and more than 30 other employee groups.

Upton expects federal government shutdown can be avoided

Steve Carmody — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:29:12 +0000

One Michigan congressman is downplaying warnings of a federal government shutdown next week.

Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate haven’t agreed on a continuing budget resolution to keep the federal government going beyond March 4^th.

Representative Fred Upton expects the US House will offer the US Senate a way to avoid a shutdown.

“My sense is that will we also in the House pass a short-term continuing resolution and send that to the Senate early in the week. Which will allow them to say…here’s a two week extension so we don’t have a shutdown by the end of the week…as well as the long-term…and then we’ll wait and see what the Senate does.”

Upton expects Congress will approve a short-term budget resolution before any federal government services are effected.