04-R 274

2004 -- S 3129

Enacted 05/20/04

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS TO VOTE AGAINST ANY FUTURE TAX BREAKS OR MAKING PERMANENT THE 2001 AND 2003 TAX CUTS FOR WEALTHY AMERICANS AND LARGE CORPORATIONS AND INSTEAD INCREASE SPENDING ON EDUCATION AND INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN

Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, Pichardo, and Ruggerio

Date Introduced: May 20, 2004

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island Municipalities believe that the State of Rhode Island must

provide a quality public education to all of its residents; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island Municipalities have experienced cuts in public education

funding because of the state's chronic multi-million dollar deficits; and

     WHEREAS, President Bush and the United States Congress, instead of helping states and

localities to address their urgent education priorities, passed $1.35 billion in tax breaks in 2001

and $330 billion in 2003 that primarily benefited wealthy citizens and global corporations; and

     WHEREAS, President Bush and the United States Congressional fiscal year 2005 budget

proposal falls short of funding our state and local efforts to improve education by shortchanging

the "No Child Left Behind" federal program by 9.4 billion dollars; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby requests that the Rhode Island congressional delegation vote in favor of increasing

spending for public education in the amount authorized in the law that created the "No Child Left

Behind" program and, furthermore, urges the Rhode Island congressional delegation to vote

against any future tax breaks or making permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for wealthy

Americans and large corporations, both of which erode the funding available for education and

other critical domestic priorities; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to President George W. Bush and to the Rhode

Island congressional delegation.

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LC03439

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