Rep. Keith Ellison Votes Against Continuing The Sequester

Statement

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after voting against the Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (H.R. 933) today, that continues the spending cuts in the sequester:

"While I believe Congress has a basic responsibility to keep the government running, I voted against this bill to protest the deep cuts to everything from education funding to medical research known as the "sequester.' The Sequester does nothing to improve the continuing jobs crisis in Minnesota and the country. Today's legislation will cut funding for kids on Head Start, essential medical research, and repairing our roads and bridges. Under sequester, nearly 9,000 women and children in Minnesota will lose nutrition assistance, nearly 14,000 Minnesotans will lose job training, and 500 Minnesotans performing innovative health research will lose their jobs.

"It's time we eliminated the haphazard cuts in the sequester. Last month, I introduced the Balancing Act, which closes tax loopholes so that the most vulnerable do not bear the brunt of reducing the deficit. This week I introduced the Back to Work Budget to reduce the deficit by $4.4 trillion by cutting what we don't need--like loopholes for oil companies and hedge fund managers--and investing in the things we do need."

Source