Reps. McEachin, Scott, Beyer, Connolly; Sens. Kaine, Warner Blast Trump’s Draconian, Social Darwinism Budget … – Blue Virginia (press release)…

See statements below by on Trumps proposed budget-from-Hell.

Rep. Donald McEachin (VA-04):

The Presidents fiscal year 2018 budget demonstrates clearly how much this Administration does not care about hardworking families.

The programs and funding that middle class, minority and low income communities rely on most were stripped or not adequately funded in the Presidents budget. Hardworking families in urban, suburban and rural communities will suffer if we fail to protect public education, housing, and the social safety net. If this budget were signed into law, it would place more fiscal burden on those who can least afford it, that is, our most vulnerable communities. History has shown that when Americas richest receive more tax breaks at the expense of everyone else, our country suffers.

While I support dedicating needed resources to help our brave men and women in the military, those funds should not come at the expense of critical, basic and needed programs. Debilitating cuts in climate change and alternative energy programs as well as the elimination of Chesapeake Bay federal funding are unacceptable. These cuts endanger public health now and for future generations. The Chesapeake Bay is a source of jobs, transportation, income, food, and recreation for countless Virginians. We have finally made some gains with the Bay, but this budget will reverse our gains.

It appears that this budget will simply make Americas richest even richer, while middle class and low income Americans will find themselves struggling even more to try to make ends meet. Congress is responsible for enacting the budget. I call on my colleagues to reject these draconian cuts and urge that we work together to create a budget that actually works for all Americans not the select few. This is not the budget that will make America great again.

Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03):

If is serious about the budget, he should look to which has produced a morally & fiscally responsible budget for yrs budget makes investments in programs that support working families,students,seniors & the most vulnerable in our communitiesCongress must pass a budget that helps all Americans.

Be sure to read my op-ed on the Congressional Black Caucus budget. Based on what we are learning about President Trumps first budget, Americans of all races, colors and creeds should be concerned. If the President is serious about moving the African American community and the rest of the nation forward, he need only to look to the alternative budget developed by the CBC.

Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08):

Well fight tooth & nail against draconian cuts to feds, which will hurt clean air & water, public health, veterans services & so much more.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA-11):

Trumps budget doubles down on social Darwinism. Draconian cuts to the State Department, foreign assistance, and EPA threaten American security and public health.

Sen. Mark Warner:

This budget proposal from President Trump does not reflect a balanced approach. Instead, it includes many short-sighted choices that if implemented could actually harm our countrys strength and long-term growth. The Trump budget proposes to dramatically slash public investments in programs like early childhood education, job training, scientific research, and the protection of economic and natural resources like the Chesapeake Bay. We should be serious about addressing the fiscal issues in our country and work together to address the impact that the across-the-board spending cuts have had on the military and our national security. However, the roadmap the President has laid out does not meet those goals. I urge him to commit to working with Congress to take a more responsible, businesslike approach one that also respects the role of smart investments in our nations economic future.

Sen. Tim Kaine:

Budgets show us a Presidents priorities, and based on what President Trump released today, Im concerned that hes continuing to push policies that would hurt Virginians. While I support the Administrations commitment to investments in defense, deep cuts to the State Department jeopardize our national security. Despite President Trumps promises that Mexico would pay for a border wall, this budget shows hes trying to force American taxpayers to pick up the tab for a wall that wont make us safer.

While the budget is short on details, the drastic cuts threaten programs that help ensure Virginians have clean water, safe roads and bridges, well-funded public schools, and quality, affordable health care. The budget also shows President Trump intends to keep treating federal employees as a punching bag, while in reality these workers are patriotic Americans who keep our government running. Just weeks after President Trump promised us clean water and air in his joint address to Congress, he released a budget that completely eliminates the Chesapeake Bay Program and radically cuts funding for the agency that protects water resources like the James River and monitoring sea level rise in in Hampton Roads. And Im disappointed that President Trumps promises to fix our crumbling infrastructure so far havent amounted to any action to fix the roads and bridges of Virginia.

There is already bipartisan agreement that President Trumps harmful budget will be a nonstarter in Congress. I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will work across the aisle on a budget that charts a different roadmap, which makes the investments to help Virginia families get ahead that are absent from President Trumps budget proposal.

Below is a list of potential impacts Donald Trumps budget cuts could have on Virginians:

$2.6 billion (31%) cut to the Environmental Protection Agency could jeopardize:

Slashing the federal workforce

$2.4 billion (13%) cut to the Department of Transportation could jeopardize:

$1.5 billion (12%) cut to the Department of the Interior could jeopardize:

$4.7 billion (21%) cut to the Department of Agriculture could jeopardize:

$9 billion (13.5%) cut to the Department of Education could jeopardize:

$10.1 billion (28%) cut to the State Department and USAID which could jeopardize:

$15 Billion (17.9%) cut to Department of Health and Human Services could jeopardize:

$2.8 billion (6.8%) increase to the Department of Homeland Security, primarily to pay for border wall construction and immigration enforcement. Proposed cuts could jeopardize:

$100 Million (1%) cut to NASA could jeopardize:

$1.1 billion (3.8%) cut to the Department of Justice could jeopardize:

$6.2 billion (13%) cut to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) could jeopardize:

o HOME Investment Partnerships

o Choice Neighborhoods

o Self-help Homeownership Opportunity Program

o Section 4 Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing

$9.6 billion (21%) cut to the Department of Labor could jeopardize:

$519 million (4.1%) in cuts to the Department of the Treasury

President Trump has also proposed eliminating these federal agencies that benefit and employ Virginians: Appalachian Regional Commission; Chemical Safety Board; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; Corporation for National and Community Service; National Endowment for the Arts; National Endowment for the Humanities; Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.

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Reps. McEachin, Scott, Beyer, Connolly; Sens. Kaine, Warner Blast Trump's Draconian, Social Darwinism Budget ... - Blue Virginia (press release)...