mr. chairman , i thank the gentleman for yielding me this time .  the congressional black caucus is offering an alternative budget proposal that differs from both the president 's budget and the house majority 's budget by putting america and americans first .  its focus is to reduce disparities that exist in america 's communities by investing in the priorities and challenges that americans face today .  it also provides significant support for our troops in iraq .  at the same time , the cbc budget alternative accomplishes these goals in a manner that is much more fiscally responsible than the republican budget , so much so , as this chart shows , the budget deficit each year is much less , a total of a $ 167 billion deficit reduction over 5 years , so much so that it saves just in interest cost alone $ 27.5 billion over 5 years .  the congressional black caucus alternative builds for america 's future and addresses the domestic challenges our country faces .  the bulk of the cbc budget has been applied to a comprehensive approach to education and training .  with the intention of closing achievement and opportunity gaps in education , the cbc budget dramatically increases funding for education and training programs by $ 23.9 billion over the proposed republican budget next year alone .  the cbc budget supports public education by fully funding no child left behind , provides critical funding for head start , trio , idea , and elementary and secondary school counseling .  to address the education needs of our military families , the cbc budget allocates more funding for impact aid .  millions of at-risk students are hoping to succeed in high school and enroll in college , and to make that dream a reality the cbc alternative allocates funding for the gear-up program , raises the maximum amount for pell grants , increases funding for historically black colleges and universities and hispanic-serving institutions .  in addition , the cbc budget funds for the perkins student loan program , as well as job training , adult education , and vocational education programs that are critical in today 's global economy .  in order to close the existing economic disparities in the united states and to help entrepreneurs realize the american dream , the cbc alternative funds job creation programs under the small business administration .  it supports community development programs , including community development block grants , child nutrition programs , and health programs such as community health centers .  the budget also addresses disparities in housing , and believes that everyone in the united states is entitled to a safe and comfortable home .  it supports hope vi , section 8 housing programs , housing for the disabled and elderly , and low income energy assistance .  the budget also provides funding for amtrak and public transportation .  the cbc recognizes that advancements in technology and science are necessary to maintain america 's competitiveness in today 's global economy .  the budget supports funding for research and development , particularly in aeronautics and nasa , and increases funding for the national science foundation , the national institute of standards and technology , and the department of energy , as well as measures for space shuttle safety .  the congressional black caucus budget alternative also recognizes the importance of adding to the safety of our communities by funding initiatives such as juvenile crime prevention programs and prisoner reentry programs .  the funding for these important domestic needs comes from rolling back tax cuts for an individual 's adjusted gross income that is over $ 200 , 000 , and eliminating several abusive tax loopholes , including corporate incentives to move jobs overseas .  moreover , the congressional black caucus budget does not adopt the new tax cuts included in the republican budget .  the cbc revenues are used for the domestic and deficit reduction portions of the alternative budget .  the cbc budget is also committed to making america more secure .  the funding for urgent homeland security needs , veterans programs and benefits , and additional support for defense and our troops in iraq comes from a $ 7.8 billion reduction in ballistic missile defense , leaving $ 1 billion in the program for continued research .  it is a priority of the cbc to provide american soldiers with the equipment necessary to return home from iraq in a safe , quick and successful manner .  to that end , a portion of these funds have been reallocated to protect our troops in iraq by providing them with body armor , vehicle armor , and other personal support equipment , as well as for the construction and maintenance of our navy vessels , which will preserve jobs .  the cbc understands that providing homeland security requires appropriate funding to meet the many pressing needs in homeland security ; and , therefore , we have substantial funding for port security grants and rail security grants as well as funding for first responders , federal air marshals and border patrol agents .  the remainder of these funds are used to restore cuts in veterans ' programs and benefits .  the cbc understands that today 's soldiers are tomorrow 's veterans who deserve our respect and sacrifices , not just in word but in deed and in budget .  thus , the alternative budget makes critical increases in veterans ' programs and benefits , a substantial portion of which is health care .  it also supports funding for long-term care initiatives , medical and prosthetic research , and mental health care , among others .  we believe that the sum of these initiatives will make us more secure as a nation .  the cbc is committed to reducing disparities in all of america 's communities .  at the same time , our budget recognizes that we can not place the burden on our children and grandchildren .  a top priority of the cbc is to address the exploding deficit problem , and that is why our budget reduces the deficit by $ 167 billion and saves $ 27 billion in interest payments compared to the house majority 's budget .  members of the cbc have worked tirelessly to create a budget that is fiscally responsible , supports our troops and recognizes the need of american individuals and american communities around the country .  we believe this is a sound budget that will reduce disparities in america 's communities and promote and protect the best that america and americans have to offer .  