Courtney Statement On The White House Budget Blueprint

Statement

Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after the White House provided a budget blueprint to Congress for the upcoming fiscal year:

"President Trump has insisted over and over again that "forgotten" working families are his top priority, but the budget blueprint issued by the White House today shows no indication that the needs of families were considered when putting it together," said Courtney. "If the framework the President proposed today were ever to become law it would deliver a devastating blow to our economy and working families across this country. His proposal diverts critical K-12 funding from our public schools at the Department of Education, decimates USDA Rural Development funding that is so vital for jobs and infrastructure improvements in eastern Connecticut, cuts job training funding that will fill the skills gap in manufacturing, and most appalling, eliminates thousands of medical research grants at the national institute of health that is aimed at curing a wide range of illnesses and disease. This budget also weakens our global strategic position by hobbling the State Department with massive funding cuts that risk damaging our diplomatic corps and international engagement for a generation. Rather than crafting a thoughtful blueprint for the federal government, the president's budget is instead a declaration of his administration's far-right political doctrine that intends to undermine our national government and eliminate federal programs that are critical for working families.

"With members from both political parties voicing serious objections to the president's budget, this proposal is almost certainly dead on arrival. I would urge the President to start over and work with both Republicans and Democritus to craft a budget that will provide real value to the American people."

Among the budget proposals unveiled today:

Elimination of the USDA Water and Wastewater loan and grant programs, which has bene used to invest in eastern Connecticut communities

Terminating NOAA programs like Sea Grant

Diverting K-12 funding to "school choice" programs

Elimination of the LIHEAP program, which is used to help Connecticut families with home heating costs

Gutting of HUD CDBG and other programs identified as potential resources for "crumbling foundations"

Ending the TIGER transportation grant program, which has been used for projects like the Central Rail upgrade in the region

Cuts funding in half for EPA categorical grants like brownfield remediation and wetland programs

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