Senate Resolution 1 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 BY HATCH and BOLKCOM A Resolution regarding the federal budget. 1 WHEREAS, over the course of the last two years, our 2 nation has engaged in a heated debate over the federal 3 budget and the role of government in growing jobs, 4 strengthening our economy, and providing the vital 5 services on which ordinary families rely; and 6 WHEREAS, the federal budget, including expenditures 7 and tax revenues, reflects the nation’s priorities 8 and should address the needs and interests of the 9 population; and 10 WHEREAS, while voters in the last general election 11 expressed strong support for maintaining vital services 12 and for ensuring that corporations and the wealthy 13 pay their fair share of taxes, Republican leaders in 14 Congress have demanded substantial cuts to Medicare, 15 Medicaid, and Social Security, education, and other 16 vital services and have blocked efforts to make our tax 17 system fair; and 18 WHEREAS, the demand by Republican congressional 19 leaders to increase the Medicare age of eligibility 20 from 65 to 67 years of age would not address the 21 underlying factors that are driving health care cost 22 increases throughout our health care system and would 23 only serve to shift costs to seniors, employers, and 24 state Medicaid programs; and 25 WHEREAS, any reduction in federal Medicaid payments 26 to states would undermine our state’s ability to 27 provide health care services to low-income children, 28 -1- LSB 1977XS (6) 85 pf/rj 1/ 3

S.R. 1 and nursing facility and long-term care services to the 1 frail elderly and persons with disabilities; and 2 WHEREAS, Social Security is funded through a 3 dedicated payroll tax and the investment of surpluses, 4 is excluded by law from the congressional budget and 5 the budget submitted by the President, and therefore 6 cannot be considered to contribute to the federal 7 deficit; and 8 WHEREAS, any cut in Social Security benefits would 9 impose substantial hardships on the 65 percent of older 10 Americans who rely on Social Security benefits for 11 half of their income, on the over one-third who rely 12 on Social Security benefits for 90 percent of their 13 income, and on the one quarter who rely on Social 14 Security benefits as their sole source of income; on 15 minorities who have higher rates of disability and 16 lower lifetime earnings; and on women who typically 17 earn less than men, spend more time out of the paid 18 workforce, live longer, accumulate less savings, and 19 receive smaller pensions, according to the Center on 20 Budget and Policy Priorities based in Washington, 21 D.C.; and 22 WHEREAS, Republican congressional leaders have 23 already demanded and achieved in the passage of the 24 Budget Control Act of 2011, severe cuts in spending 25 totaling $1.7 trillion, which is not only creating 26 a strain on our economy, but is also undermining 27 the ability of state and local governments to meet 28 pressing needs in our communities from education to 29 transportation to law enforcement; and 30 -2- LSB 1977XS (6) 85 pf/rj 2/ 3

S.R. 1 WHEREAS, the Republican congressional leadership 1 is threatening to shut down the federal government 2 and continues to hold our nation’s credit worthiness 3 hostage to their demands to cut Medicare, Medicaid, 4 Social Security, and other vital services; NOW 5 THEREFORE, 6 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Iowa Senate 7 urges Congress to incorporate as core values in 8 its deliberations on the federal budget all of the 9 following: 10 1. That reform of the tax system should result 11 in a system that is fair to all by requiring that 12 corporations and the wealthy pay their share of taxes 13 and by eliminating the loopholes and special interest 14 tax deductions used by corporations and the wealthy to 15 avoid payment of taxes. 16 2. That the burden of deficit reduction should not 17 be placed on the shoulders of working families. 18 3. That Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security 19 benefits should be protected from any cuts including 20 through an increase in the Medicare age of eligibility, 21 cutting or restructuring federal Medicaid payments to 22 states, or reducing the cost-of-living increases to 23 Social Security benefits. 24 4. That further cuts in education, law enforcement, 25 transportation, and other vital services that state and 26 local governments administer should be avoided. 27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this 28 resolution be provided to each member of the Iowa’s 29 congressional delegation. 30 -3- LSB 1977XS (6) 85 pf/rj 3/ 3