Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on President Biden’s Budget Proposal
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on President Biden’s FY22 budget proposal:
“President Biden’s budget proposal is a sign that we are reinvesting in human needs in these challenging times. This $1.5 trillion budget proposal will serve as a down payment on our investment in the needs of families across the country.
“I was pleased to see in Biden’s proposal a substantial increase in funding to the Department of Education, with a focus on schools in low-income communities. This proposal contributes to the largest-ever expansion in Title I grants, which seek to help students and improve education in high-poverty areas. This also includes investments in Pell Grants to support low-income college students, as well as an expansion of voucher programs through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. His proposal also invests in criminal justice and police reform, combatting gun violence, and much more.
“However, despite the positive investments in these programs, I was incredibly disappointed at the significant increase in Pentagon spending to even higher levels than the Trump administration. With so many people across the country struggling to make ends meet, the last thing we need to do is increase investment in wasteful Pentagon spending. This budget adds twelve billion new dollars for weapons of war; just think how that same amount could be used to invest in jobs, health care and fighting inequality—especially as we fight back a once in a century public health and economic crisis.
“As Co-Chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, I will continue to work with my colleagues to advocate for significant cuts to our needlessly inflated Pentagon budget. It is far past time to stop investing in endless war and begin investing in the American people.
“The overall proposal is a welcome step toward a budget that reflects our values, with significant increases to the funding for education, public housing, federal health agencies, and efforts to confront the climate crisis. Especially following the divestment in these initiatives during the Trump administration, we are finally returning to a focus on meeting the needs of so many in America right now. I look forward to continuing to work with the Biden administration to ensure those needs are being met and that we continue legislating through a lens of racial equity.”
Congresswoman Lee is a co-chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus and has called for President Biden to make meaningful cuts to our defense budget. To read her letter to President Biden, click here.