Hoyer Statement on Republican Budget Proposal

Statement

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) released following statement tonight after House Republicans unveiled their spending bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 201

"This evening, Republicans announced a spending bill that would severely damage our economy's ability to grow and create jobs. Democrats agree that spending cuts are necessary to tackle our deep budget deficit. But Republicans--in a haphazard, closed process that clearly breaks their promises of transparency--have released a package of indiscriminate cuts that severely hamper America's ability to compete in the global economy. Republicans would slash investments in education, innovation, and infrastructure--the very investments that will help America's entrepreneurs build the industries and jobs of the future.

"At the same time, the Republican spending bill does very little to address our long-term fiscal challenges. That failure is even more glaring in light of the policies proposed by Republicans that would add $5 trillion to our deficit. Huge cuts in key programs may make good campaign slogans, but they will do very little to address the real sources of our debt and hurt the middle class. Instead, we must work together to pass deficit-reducing tax reform, scrutinize the defense budget for waste, and keep our entitlement programs solvent for years to come. I urge Republicans to stop running away from those challenges, and to reconsider their policy of cutting investments in growth."

Maryland Impact:

The Republican proposal would have a devastating impact on our regional priorities. The following investments are just a few example of cuts proposed by Republicans, which would reverse years of hard work to provide clean, safe, and economically prosperous communities for the residents of the Fifth District and Maryland:

* Metro -- Eliminates $150 million in dedicated funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which aimed to ensure that the system can provide safe and reliable service for area residents, commuters, and visitors. This also jeopardizes an additional $150 million which would have been matched by Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
* Chesapeake Bay -- The EPA Chesapeake Bay Program, which aims to restore the Bay to a healthy and self-sustaining ecosystem, is cut by $23 million.
* FDA Consolidation -- Eliminates funding for the GSA Federal Building Fund, which will halt the ongoing consolidation of the Food and Drug Administration at White Oak -- bringing together 8,000 of the agency's employees to a state-of-the-art, 130-acre campus

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