Payne, Jr. Statement on White House Budget

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) today issued the following statement after the White House released its fiscal 2018 budget request:

“What President Trump and his administration—the wealthiest in history—have put forward is a heartless proposal that gives more tax cuts to wealthy Americans who don’t need them while decimating social insurance programs.

“Simply put, this is a budget for the rich by the rich.

“With its deep cuts to programs for the poor, from food assistance to health care, President Trump’s budget tramples on our most vulnerable citizens.

“The fact that President Trump was out of the country during the budget’s release speaks volumes about the callousness of the document and the administration’s disregard for the lives of millions of struggling Americans.

“The administration’s proposal rests on a number of assumptions, like passage of Trumpcare and overly optimistic economic growth projections, but it is still dangerous. It reflects the priorities and goals of the president. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll know just how much damage Republicans are willing to cause to get their much desired tax cuts for the rich.

“I urge my Republican colleagues to think about the harm this proposal would inflict on millions of Americans. In New Jersey alone, nearly 900,000 people rely on SNAP benefits to ensure that they and their families have enough to eat. These are just some of the people the president’s budget would harm.

“President Trump should engage with Congress to produce a spending agreement that protects the country’s most vulnerable, strengthens our national security, and invests in the American people.”