03.22.13

Broad Support for Balanced Approach that Puts Families, Seniors, and Communities First

Today, the Senate Budget Committee released the following excerpts from statements put out by some of the many organizations representing families, workers, seniors, and communities across the country that have expressed support for pro-growth Senate Budget that puts the economy first, tackles the deficit and debt responsibly, and keeps the promises made to seniors, veterans, families and communities. The Senate is expected to vote on the budget resolution later today.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “Murray’s More Evenhanded Approach to Deficit Reduction Contrasts Sharply With Ryan’s…. The Murray approach is better suited to our current struggling economy…. All told, the Murray budget is a far better response to the economic and fiscal challenges at hand than Chairman Ryan’s budget. ” [CBPP, 3/14/13]

Center for American Progress: “Idea of the Day: The Murray Budget Is a Healthy Economic Alternative to the Ryan Budget” [CAP, 3/15/13] 

AARP:  “As AARP fights for responsible solutions to strengthen retirement security, we applaud Chairwoman Patty Murray’s proposed budget for protecting Medicare and Medicaid benefits and making no cuts to Social Security….A budget that protects the pillars of retirement security strengthens the future for today’s seniors and their kids and grandkids.” [AARP, 3/15/13]

National Council on Aging: “The Senate Budget Resolution by Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) provides a responsible, balanced deficit reduction package that protects programs for older adults that we care about, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Older Americans Act (OAA), and SNAP (Food Stamps).” [NCOA, 3/20/13]

NETWORK: National Catholic Social Justice Lobby: “In contrast with Rep. Ryan's budget proposal, Senate Democrats have offered a balanced approach. This includes responsible spending cuts that do not fall disproportionately on the working poor, cost savings found through eliminating loopholes, and cutting wasteful spending in the tax code that benefit the wealthiest Americans. By replacing harmful cuts from sequestration, the proposal charts a more prudent path toward deficit reduction that will also save jobs and protect economic gains our nation is now making. The budget proposal also invests in long-term economic growth by investing in the common good: infrastructure, education and job training.” [National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Sister Simone Campbell, 3/19/13]

American’s for Tax Fairness: “The Murray Budget has it right- corporations and the richest 2% should be paying more, not regular working Americans.” [ATF, 3/15/13]

Bread for the World: “The Senate budget proposal embodies the principles of the circle of protection, taking a balanced approach to deficit-reduction while protecting programs that serve poor and hungry people,” Beckmann continued. “Like all major bipartisan deficit reduction agreements over the past 20 years, this proposal specifies that reducing the deficit not increase poverty.” [Bread For the World, 3/15/13]

Committee for Education Funding: “This Budget, as reported by the Senate Budget Committee, invests in our nation's future through critical investments in education from PreK through college. It replaces the harmful sequester cuts with a balanced deficit reduction package and provides $20 billion for school building modernization. It provides strong support for early childhood education (such as Head Start and preschool programs), elementary and secondary education (such as Title I and IDEA), career and technical education and vital university research. It supports increases in the Pell grant maximum award (and fully funds future shortfalls) and prevents interest rates on subsidized student loans from doubling.”  [CEF, 3/20/13]

National Education Association: “The Senate Democratic budget rightly reflects the values of educators, students, and middle class families. The budget is serious, responsible, and balanced. It shows a real commitment to returning to solid fiscal footing without jeopardizing the important economic gains made during the past four years and asks the wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share.” [NEA, 3/13/13]

National Skills Coalition: “The investments in America’s workforce proposed in the Senate budget resolution will help us begin to close the skills gap so workers can find a good paying job to support their families and employers will have the skilled workers they need to grow their business.” [National Skills Coalition, 3/13/13]

AFL-CIO:  “The Murray budget represents a clear alternative to the destructive policies of House Republicans.” [AFL-CIO, 3/14/13] 

Service Employees International Union: "We applaud Chairman Murray for focusing on how to restore economic security to families and understanding that when working people are doing better, the economy will do better." [SEIU, 3/14/13]

League of Conservation Voters: “Budgets are about priorities, and Patty Murray gets it right.” [LCV, 3/13/13]

Council for Exceptional Children: “This Budget, as reported by the Senate Budget Committee, invests in our nation's future through critical investments in education from birth to college. It replaces the harmful sequester cuts with a balanced deficit reduction package and provides $20 billion for school building modernization. It provides strong support for early childhood education (such as Head Start and preschool programs), elementary and secondary education (such as Title I and IDEA), career and technical education and vital university research. It supports increases in the Pell grant maximum award (and fully funds current shortfalls) and prevents interest rates on subsidized student loans from doubling.” [CEC, 3/20/13] 

Center for Law and Social Policy: “Murray’s budget takes a balanced approach to deficit reduction and strengthens the nation’s commitment to postsecondary education for low-income students….Murray’s budget continues investments in student financial aid and seeks to slow the growth of skyrocketing college costs.” [CLASP, 3/15/13]

American Association of School Administrators: “S.Con.Res.8 represents a commitment to our nation, its future and its schools. The proposal includes critical investments for the full education continuum, from early education through post-secondary opportunity. The proposal uses a balanced approach of deficit reduction to eliminate sequestration and provides $20 billion for school infrastructure….S.Con.Res.8 represents a commitment to our nation, its future and its schools. The proposal includes critical investments for the full education continuum, from early education through post-secondary opportunity. The proposal uses a balanced approach of deficit reduction to eliminate sequestration and provides $20 billion for school infrastructure.” [AASA, 3/20/13]

Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce: “The Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce—a broad coalition of national organizations calling for greater and more effective federal investments in our nation’s skills so more U.S. businesses can find the skilled workers they need to compete globally, and so all U.S. workers can share in and contribute to our country’s economic prosperity—strongly supports S. Con. Res. 8, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget resolution offered by Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA)” [CIAW, 3/20/13]

Sierra Club: “At a time when too many Americans are still struggling to make ends meet while the climate crisis is raging around us, the last thing any budget should be doing is making things harder for our families and our planet. Budgets are statements about our priorities as a nation -- and Senator Murray’s proposal has those priorities right.” [Sierra Club, 3/13/13]

Coalition on Human Needs: “Their Budget Resolution stops the indiscriminate sequestration cuts and replaces them with a combination of increased revenues and spending reductions…. The Senate Budget Committee budget makes choices that protect our security and invest in jobs.” [CHN, 3/15/13]

The Institute for College Access and Success: Senate Budget Makes College Affordability a Priority; House Budget Slashes Pell Grants and Student Loans….The Senate’s fiscal year 2014 budget resolution, which the full Senate is expected to vote on this week, invests in our nation’s families and economy by focusing on college affordability. [The Institute for College Access and Success, 3/19/13]

First Focus: “The committee’s plan delivers real fiscal progress while investing in America’s children” [First Focus, 3/14/13]

National Women’s Law Center: “Murray Budget Invests in Early Childhood, Protects Programs Vital to Women, and Advances Tax Fairness in Sharp Contrast to Ryan Budget…The two budgets introduced this week present dramatically different visions for our society.  For women and their families, the choice is clear.” [NWLC, 3/14/13] 

Wilderness Society: “The plan outlined by Senator Murray will put our country on the path towards a clean, renewable energy economy while at the same time  ensuring that our public lands and wilderness areas will be protected  for future generations,” [Wilderness Society, 3/13/13]

American Association of Community Colleges:  “AACC continues to favor a balanced approach to addressing the nation’s deficit, one that recognizes the importance of investing in education, job training, and critical infrastructure to enhance the country’s economic future. We support your budget resolution for its inclusion of these priorities.”  [AACC, 3/18/13]

Rebuild America’s Schools: “The Senate Budget Resolution includes critical provisions to invest in infrastructure to begin repairing and rebuilding America’s schools, roads, and bridges…. The Senate Budget Committee’s Budget Resolution helps address the national imperative to modernize and rebuild America’s schools for the 21st Century.” [Rebuild America’s Schools, 3/15/13]

 

###