Gwen Moore
Washington, DC – This week, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) released the following statement in response to Representative Paul Ryan’s (WI-1) fiscal year 2015 budget:
“With another budget comes another year of misplaced priorities.
This Republican budget, introduced on April Fools’ Day, is unfortunately not a joke.
The budget makes harmful cuts to our domestic programs, while protecting the wealthiest Americans and big businesses.
“As in the past, this budget strikes fear in the hearts of our vulnerable populations.
For hours in today’s budget markup, I heard of the ‘need’ to cut, slash and burn our entitlement programs.
If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle truly wish to reduce poverty, we must come together to strengthen our economy and improve our safety net. Sadly, the Ryan budget does neither.
“The GOP budget would cost approximately 3 million jobs by fiscal year 2016. That number is nearly the entire workforce in my home state.
While more hardworking Americans would lose their jobs, the wealthy would enjoy tax loopholes and an average millionaire tax cut of $200,000.
“In addition, the Ryan budget would eliminate guaranteed Pell Grant funding, turn Medicare into a voucher-like program for future seniors and drastically reduce food assistance.
We need practical and tangible solutions to reducing poverty.
One such tactic is to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Unfortunately, this bipartisan idea was rejected by my Republican colleagues.
“Those living in poverty need resources, not further isolation and rejection.
I urge my Republican colleagues to join Democrats in working to reduce poverty, not amplify it.”