Budget draws mixed reactions

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 2, 2010

President Barack Obama’s $3.8 trillion budget for 2011 drew mixed reactions from Mississippi’s two Republican senators for its size and praise from the Democrat who represents Vicksburg and the rest of the 2nd Congressional District in the House.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, lauded a 2.68 percent increase in dollars the president is requesting for an array of security measures in airports and on airplanes.

“Given the current fiscal environments, I am pleased that the president saw fit to ask for $56 million for the Department of Homeland Security for its ongoing efforts at deterring, detecting, preventing and responding to terrorism and other threats,” Thompson said in a statement.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Thompson said he was pleased further by investment in screening technologies and the expansion of the presence of federal air marshals on international flights and the canine detection program in the $56.34 billion budget request for the Cabinet-level department, composed of formerly separate agencies.

Sen. Roger Wicker said the president’s budget reflected too much federal spending and a debate over final budget totals was inevitable.

“Even though the American public is demanding that the federal government stop the spending spree, this budget represents more of the same,” Wicker said in a statement. “Under this plan of increased spending and higher debt, our deficits will continue to rise to dangerous and unsustainable levels.”

Sen. Thad Cochran, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said spending items and tax hikes would be viewed “critically” in Congress, but balancing spending with security will be a must.

“Meeting the nation’s security and domestic needs while restraining spending will be difficult,” a statement from Cochran said. “But given the nation’s growing and unsustainable debt, that is exactly what the House and Senate must do.”

Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com