Mitchell joins 5 more bills as a co-sponsor...

Note: much of this post was originally posted at Progressive Wave's AZ-05; the press release info was added for the post here.

...and criticizes the President's budget proposal.

The bills are:

HRes 97, Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability;
H R 365, ...remediation of closed methamphetamine production laboratories;
H R 720, Water Quality Financing Act of 2007;
H R 800, Employee Free Choice Act;
H R 811, would amend the Help America Vote Act by requiring a paper ballot trail.

In other news, Congressman Mitchell spoke out about the President's budget proposal, and its effect on student financial aid (he was speaking to the State Press, the newspaper at Arizona State U).

From the article:

Pell Grants - federal need-based grants that don't have to be repaid - currently have a maximum award amount of $4,050. That number would increase to $4,600 in 2008.

{snip}

But the increase will cut other areas of financial aid, said Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-AZ.

"He's just taking it from one pot and putting it into another," Mitchell said of the president. "If you look at overall student aid, he's cutting it."

The budget would phase out federal involvement in low-interest Perkins Loans over five years. The budget would also cut funding to the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program - another need-based grant program.

{snip}

But losing the other programs and gaining the Pell Grant increase would be an overall loss for students, Mitchell said.

"You've got to look at the total picture," Mitchell said.

"On the one hand ... yeah it sounds good, but at the same time, he's eliminating another grant program and over five years he wants to eliminate a low interest loan program."

Note: HR 365 (Meth lab cleanup) passed the House today by a 426 - 2 vote. Harry Mitchell voted in the affirmative, with AZ6's own Jeff Flake casting one of the two "nay" votes.

From a press release about HR 365:

"We all know how harmful meth labs are to the security of a neighborhood, but health hazards remain a legitimate threat to our children even after a lab has been shut down," said Mitchell. "This legislation is an important step forward to fighting the harmful effects of meth labs."

{snip}

Mitchell said that federal, state and local governments have a responsibility to work together to fight meth, and praised the efforts of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Terry Goddard to crack down on meth labs.

"We have strong leaders in Arizona working on this issue, and I know that with the new Congress, we can work together on removing harmful meth labs from our neighborhoods," said Mitchell.

And from a press release about HR 720 (Clean Water funds):

The legislation, H.R. 720, would replace the current, outdated allocation formula which is based on 1970 Census data, and as a result, has cost Arizona millions of dollars.

Arizona ranks 10th in the nation in wastewater infrastructure need, 20th in population, but under the current formula, is ranked 38th in SRF funds. Calculated on a per capita basis, Arizona ranks last, or 53rd, in the nation - behind even the U.S. territories - in SRF funds received.

"Arizona 's population has more than tripled since 1970 and its time for federal funding to reflect that," said Mitchell. "We're the fastest growing state in the nation, and we have serious needs. We deserve our fair share, and with the Senate's help, I hope we'll finally get it."

SRFs help construct publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities.

A link to information about recent cuts in federal funding to AZ for clean water efforts is here.

Later!