Van Hollen: Republican Budget is Same Old Ideological Agenda

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member on the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement responding to comments made by Committee Chairman Paul Ryan about the budget on Fox News Sunday:

"It is now clear that the Republican budget is not bold, but the same old ideological agenda that extends tax breaks to millionaires and big oil companies while cutting our kids education and health security for seniors. The question is not whether to reduce the deficit, but how. As the Bipartisan Fiscal Commission has shown, any responsible effort requires a balanced approach that addresses both spending and revenue. The Republican budget fails this simple test. It is increasingly clear that the House Republicans are more committed to continuing tax breaks to millionaires and big corporate special interests than they are to a serious, balanced approach to reducing deficits.

"We are all committed to deficit reduction, but the issue is how we do it without jeopardizing our economic recovery, losing American jobs, and violating our commitments to seniors. To govern is to choose, and it is not courageous to protect tax breaks for millionaires, oil companies, and other big money special interests while slashing our investment in education, ending the current health care guarantees for seniors on Medicare, and denying health care coverage to tens of millions of Americans. That's not courageous, it's wrong."

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