MEDIA RELEASE

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has voted against the Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposed by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), and in favor of an alternative posed by House Democrats.

Spending levels were already set for FY2015 discretionary spending in the Bipartisan Budget Act which passed in December 2013, taking away the need for the House to pass an additional budget, and also why the Senate will not be taking up a budget bill this year.

“Budgets in Congress demonstrate our top priorities for the country, and should be responsive to our tough economic realities,” Gabbard said. “We can only achieve our goals of a stronger nation by executing a balanced, responsible budget that grows our economy, maintains a strong national defense, and creates opportunity for our next generation to succeed. Though I support elements of the Ryan budget that seek to eliminate waste and reduce the deficit, and provide increased funding for national security, the draconian cuts to key programs like Medicare, Social Security, and nutrition assistance found in the Ryan budget, along with a likely increase in taxes for hard-working middle-class Americans in order to lower taxes for the ultra-wealthy, are not acceptable and result in hurting our kupuna and families. We need to pass a budget that makes responsible cuts, eliminates waste, and is focused on growing our economy, getting people back to work in good-paying jobs, ensuring a strong national defense, and making sure those who are in most need are getting a hand up.”

The Democratic Alternative Budget preserves the Medicare guarantee, maintains Medicaid services for low-income Americans, and creates revenue by closing tax loopholes for oil companies and other special interests.

The alternative budget would also reduce the deficit to a sustainable 2.3 percent of GDP by 2024.