Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request.
“President Obama’s final budget request of his presidency lays out a fiscally responsible framework to grow our economy and invest in critical priorities that will help hardworking Americans.
“Many challenges continue to face the Appropriations Committee in Fiscal Year 2017. We must fight for a stronger economy and bigger paychecks for hardworking Americans by investing in schools, roads and bridges, high-quality healthcare, college affordability, and the security of our communities. We must invest in commonsense gun safety measures like background checks and research on gun violence and technology; and we must support critical safety nets like summer meals for children, Head Start, and affordable housing.
“I particularly look forward to reviewing in detail President Obama’s new requests regarding computer science education, cancer research, retirement savings plans, summer meals, and preventing opioid abuse.
“As the first step of the Fiscal Year 2017 budget and appropriations process, I again call on the Republican majority to advance a budget resolution that keeps faith with the Bipartisan Budget Agreement enacted in November 2015. Unfortunately, the majority’s unprecedented partisan refusal to invite Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shaun Donovan to discuss the request does not inspire confidence in their intentions throughout the process.
“In addition, we must find ways to address new challenges that arose after they could be addressed in last year’s Omnibus. We must do more to ensure that our public health agencies have the resources they need to protect communities from the Zika virus spreading across the Americas and to prevent and respond to lead poisoning, whether caused by toxic paint or corroded water pipes.
“Appropriations Democrats stand willing to work with Republicans on these and other priorities, and I look forward to a full hearing schedule and enacting Appropriations bills through regular order."
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
