Gwen Moore Says Ryan Budget "Unfair, Unbalanced and Unwise for the American People"

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) released the following statement on the proposed budget crafted by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and House Republicans for the 2013 fiscal year:

"As a Member of the House Budget Committee, it is clear to me that this Republican budget is unfair, unbalanced and unwise for the American people. It cuts spending to programs that affect the most vulnerable populations while giving big new tax breaks to millionaires and protecting special interest tax loopholes.

"Most egregious in this budget are the fundamental changes to the structure of Medicare and Medicaid which would virtually end these programs as we know them. This budget would slice into the social safety net, taking aim not only at discretionary spending, but at mandatory spending on Medicare and Medicaid.

"Once again, the Ryan budget will propose block-granting Medicaid, ending its entitlement status. This would not only cut funding for insurance coverage for low-income children and adults. It would cut funding for nursing home care for poor seniors, many of whom rely on Medicaid to cover their long-term care expenses. Additionally, the Republican budget proposes a slight variation on last year's plan to "voucherize' Medicare instead calling it "premium support." The bottom line is that this plan would shift costs to seniors, jeopardize their care, and erode traditional Medicare.

"The House Republican budget also breaks the bipartisan agreement made during the debt ceiling debate last summer for across-the-board spending cuts for both defense and discretionary spending beginning in 2013.

"A budget is a moral document that reflects the priorities in which a country will invest their resources. Sadly, the Republicans have once again shown that they are content to let the "have-nots' of our society fall by the wayside in order to enrich the "haves.'"

Source