Affordable child care programs that allow lowincome parents the opportunity to become selfsufficient are in desperate need of support. Drug education and prevention programs are a vital part of gang eradication and should be a high priority for funds. The Stewart McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. refugee aid. and a number of other vital services that provide support for those persons traditionally the first victims of recessionthe poorare all programs that are reaching a small percentage of the eligible populations and need additional funds. Unfortunately. when it came time to provide sufficient dollars to fund these vital programs. we have had to rob Peter to pay Paul. having to decide which program is more vital than the other. funding one program on the back of another. Just 4 months ago we wereand still arecelebrating our great victory over Saddam Hussein.