WASHINGTON - February 6 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement today on President Bush's fiscal year 2007 budget request submitted to Congress today:

"This budget is not just fiscally bankrupt, it is morally bankrupt.

"This budget chooses war over health care, tax cuts over education, special interests over need of the nation and rich over poor. This budget cuts vital domestic funding because of spending for the war in Iraq and the tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, placing the burden squarely on the backs of poor and working class Americans.

"The President's budget will increase defense spending by almost 7%, to $439 billion, while vital finding for Medicare, Medicaid, education, veterans health care, children's health care, Welfare, transportation, NASA programs and the Department of Agriculture are slashed.

"All this, while requesting an additional $70 billion-or $120 billion for the year-to fund the misguided and ill-advised war and occupation of Iraq.

"Budgets are a mission statement. The mission statement of this budget tells the majority of Americans in their time of greatest need: You are on your own.

"It is time for some common sense. It is time to bring our troops home, end tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, end the use of government to escalate the wealth of this nation upwards and tend to our nation's real needs. This budget is a sad statement on the Administration's view of our nation."

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