Rep. Engel Opposes Republican Budget; Calls it "Damaging to Our Country"

Press Release

Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-16) said the House Republican budget -- which passed the House solely with Republican votes -- would be "damaging to our country," and will thankfully never be adopted by the Senate. Rep. Engel has repeatedly called for a bipartisan, balanced approach towards long-term financial planning. He has opposed all unbalanced plans, such as the 2011 Budget Control Act, which created sequestration.

"As a Bronx icon once said -- this is deja vu all over again. This budget is a rehash the rejected, failed policies of Republicans who have been putting them forward for decades. It is the type of plan which got us into the disaster of 2008 in the first place. Their budget cuts anything and everything to benefit low- to middle-income families. It will lead to a loss of 750,000 jobs in this year alone -- a return to the job loss numbers from the end of the Bush Administration. It not only fails to address any alternatives to the stupid sequestration plan, but fully embraces the deep cuts to Medicare.

"Incredibly, despite dozens of failed attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and a constitutional ruling from the Supreme Court, this budget once again includes repeal. This is a reality-free budget and a complete waste of time. Medicare cannot become a voucher program, nor should Medicaid and foods stamps morph into block grants. We cannot expect to compete globally in the future with deep cuts to education and scientific research. Our cities and towns need to rebuild a crumbling infrastructure, and our people need to be able to afford college, buy new homes and, for too many, get back to work. To turn a blind eye to these needs while defending every tax break for the wealthiest Americans is just unconscionable.

"As long as compromise remains a dirty word to many of the Tea Party Republicans, not only will we never see a long-term budget agreement, but we will never be able to agree on any of the issues which need attention."

Rep. Engel is the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a senior Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

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