DeLauro Announces Opposition To Ryan Budget

Says Budgets Are a Reflection of Our Values andPriorities

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) releasedthe following statement today announcing her opposition to the Ryan-Republicanbudget being voted on by the House of Representatives. DeLauro is the seniorDemocrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the departments of Labor,Education, and Health and Human Services.

"I am strongly opposed to the disastrous budget put forwardby the House Majority. Once again, they have put forward a plan that slashesdeeply into our common-sense priorities and tries to balance the budget on thebacks of seniors, women, and the most vulnerable.

"A budget is about more than just numbers – it is areflection and embodiment of our values and priorities as a society. Our budgetshould advance our moral responsibilities as a nation to provide for the commongood. I just attended the installation of Pope Francis in Rome, where hestressed the importance of working ‘to protect all of God's people and embracewith tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, theweakest, the least fortunate.'

"But the Ryan budget, like his previous iterations, not onlyfails this critical moral test, it gets it exactly backwards. To pay forexpanded tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, two-third of cuts non-defensecuts over the next ten years will come at the expense of programs that servelow- and moderate-income families. Over the next decade, this budget woulddeeply slash programs that protect public safety, promote job training andensure education for low-income kids, among other programs.

"Jobs will be lost, students will lose Pell Grants, childrenwill lose access to Head Start and National Service programs like Americorpswill end. But that is not all. Medicaid will be slashed and food stamps cut.The health reforms we passed three years ago will be history; the donut holewill reopen, women will pay more for the same insurance as men, and childrenwith pre-existing conditions could lose their coverage. Seniors will have topay more for health care. And middle-class families will pay $2,000 more a yearin taxes so millionaires can have a $200,000 tax cut.

"The American people roundly rejected this Reverse RobinHood plan last November. They want us to use the budget to create jobs and growthe economy. I hope my colleagues respect their wishes, and reject this latestiteration of the same old Republican budget."