House GOP budget worries lawmakers (Hawaii)

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Legislators see a bleak future for Hawaii as Republicans in Congress propose deep cuts


Hawaii lawmakers braced for a future with little to no federal dollars as Republicans in the U.S. House pushed through their budget proposal for the nation, cutting $6.2 trillion from yearly federal deficits through the next 10 years while gutting food stamps, Medicaid and other safety net programs.

"To a great extent, the states seem to be on their own," said state Rep. Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa-Poamoho), House Finance chairman. "If the federal government is serious about adjusting the federal deficit in the areas of Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, debt service, defense spending — the big components — then it's going to have a big impact upon the states."

The GOP budget passed 235-193 yesterday with every Democrat voting no.

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The GOP blueprint would cut almost $800 million from the federal-state Medicaid program.

Hanabusa called it unfair to turn Medicaid into a block grant program, saying it would transfer the burden of a federal program to the states. An estimated 84,000 Hawaii residents would be cut off from Medicaid under the Republican budget plan, she said.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20110416_House_GOP_budget_worries_lawmakers.html