Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on President Obama’s 2016 budget request:
“President Obama’s budget request is a roadmap for responsible growth through middle class economics.
“After the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the American people have fought their way back. We now have the lowest unemployment rate in over 5 years, rebounding housing and manufacturing sectors, a declining federal deficit, and the economy has created 8 million jobs in the last 4 years.
“However, the federal government has not done its part to ensure all Americans share in these gains. Years of austerity on federal services and investments have left our economy less competitive, our nation less safe, and the American people less prepared and prosperous than we would have been otherwise. I commend President Obama for his commitment to reversing this dangerous course. It is time to end - once and for all - the damage that mindless across-the-board “sequestration" cuts have imposed on American families.
“I am particularly pleased by President Obama’s proposals to increase substantially our investments in medical research and development; roads and bridges; and early childhood education and child care.
“The first order of Congress and of the Appropriations Committee must be enacting a clean and responsible 2015 homeland security funding bill, without poisonous policy riders related to the President’s executive actions on immigration. Following that, I look forward to working with Chairman Rogers through the 2016 appropriations process to invest responsibly in priorities that will help our nation continue to grow and prosper."
2016 Budget Request: Key Proposed Changes to Discretionary Appropriations
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
