Rep. Barbara Lee Endorses the Congressional Progressive Caucus's Budget
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a member of the House Budget and Appropriations Committees, released this statement on the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for Fiscal Year 2017, calledThe People’s Budget: Prosperity Not Austerity; Invest in America:
“Today, I proudly stand with my colleagues in the Progressive Caucus in unveiling The People’s Budget. This comprehensive, progressive alternative budget stands in stark contrast to Congressional Republicans’ repeated failure to produce a budget that invests in American families.
The budget that we unveiled today invests in American families by creating 3.6 million good-paying jobs, rebuilding our roads and bridges, expanding education from pre-K to debt-free college, and building pathways out of poverty for those struggling to make ends meet.
Our budget is a moral document that reflects our values and priorities.
Time and again, we’ve seen how austerity has failed the American people. It’s past time to end these disastrous policies and provide real investments in families and our communities. The People’s Budget makes these critical investments and empowers families by ending pay inequity, protecting collective bargaining and giving families the opportunity to earn paid time off.
The People’s Budget will also save taxpayers billions by halting funding for endless war and reshaping Pentagon spending to meet our 21st century security needs. Additionally, The People’s Budget would require an audit of the Pentagon to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. An audit of all federal agencies has been required by law for 25 years but the Pentagon has yet to meet this basic standard.
I urge my colleagues to join me and the Congressional Progressive Caucus in working to pass this budget – a budget that invests in jobs, families and our communities.”
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Democrat Whip Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality and Opportunity.