DeLauro Statement on GOP Proposals to Cut Social Safety Net Programs

WASHINGTON, DC (March 11, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding a package of program cuts proposed by House Republicans that would gut social safety net programs and further increase poverty.

“Speaker Ryan recently named a Republican task force to address poverty, but its members have a long history of supporting policies that undermine America’s social safety net programs. Just this week, Congressmen Kevin Brady (TX-08), a member of the poverty task force, and Fred Upton (MI-06) announced proposed cuts to programs that help millions of American families each year, programs like the Child Tax Credit, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Prevention and Public Health Fund. You know what I do not see on their chopping block? Crop insurance subsidies—something that has a higher rate of fraud and abuse than other government programs.

“When Republicans point to ‘waste, fraud, and abuse,’ what they are really doing is searching for proposals that would cut lifelines for the millions of low-income American families who are trying to lift themselves out of poverty. Congressman Brady and his fellow task force members need to come up with serious proposals, and until they do, their task force continues to be nothing more than a sham.”

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