Van Hollen slams Trump’s FY 2020 budget proposal
WASHINGTON — Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Monday slammed President Donald Trump’s FY 2020 budget proposal.
“President Trump’s new budget would make children, seniors, and people with disabilities pay for his massive tax giveaways to billionaires and big corporations. As he slashes funding to help working families, he includes billions of dollars more for his wall — on the heels of blowing up our deficit with the Republican tax law. This budget makes it clearer than ever where his priorities lie — in protecting millionaires and billionaires while cutting investments in health care, education, and the environment,” Van Hollen (D-Md.) said in a statement.
Van Hollen, who sits on the Senate Budget and Appropriations committees, added: “Families in Maryland and across the country deserve better.”
Early Monday morning the $4.7 trillion proposal arrived on Capitol Hill. It calls for $8.6 billion in border wall funding, $750 billion for the Department of Defense and a 5 percent across-the-board cut in non-defense spending. It aims to eliminate the estimated deficit in 15 years.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday that the request for new wall money is a non-starter. On Monday they slammed the proposed cuts to social programs.
“The Trump administration’s latest budget proposal is a gut-punch to the American middle class and a handout to the wealthiest few and powerful special interests that would worsen income inequality. Its proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, as well as numerous other middle-class programs are devastating, but not surprising. The Republican Party’s systematic efforts to rip away Americans’ health care, its continued embrace of the failed tax cuts for the rich, and its refusal to accept the science, facts, and urgent need to address the climate crisis have made cruel and unthinking budget proposals like this one par for the course,” Schumer said in a statement.
“The cruel and shortsighted cuts in President Trump’s budget request are a roadmap to a sicker, weaker America. House Democrats will reject this toxic, destructive budget request which would hollow out our national strength and fail to meet the needs of the American people,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Last month Trump declared a national emergency to secure more money for the wall in conjunction with the signing of legislation to keep the government funded through September.
Under the emergency declaration, the administration may be able to secure about $8 billion for the wall by taking money from “unobligated” funds.
Sixteen state attorneys general and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have filed lawsuits, arguing the declaration is unconstitutional.
Last month the House approved a resolution to overturn the declaration. The Senate is expected to follow suit later this week. Trump has said he will veto the resolution if it comes to his desk.
This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News
Bryan is an award-winning political journalist who has extensive experience covering Congress and Maryland state government.
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