Murray Blasts House Republicans for Reneging on Bipartisan Budget Deal, Threatening Government Shutdown

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled the Republican budget, which cuts spending on programs middle class families rely on below the level Speaker Boehner and House Republicans agreed to in the bipartisan Budget Control Act last year.

"This is outrageous and deeply disappointing. By desperately attempting to appease their extreme conservative base, House Republicans are reneging on a deal their own Speaker shook on less than eight months ago. They have shown that a deal with them isn't worth the paper it's printed on and they are threatening families across America yet again with the prospect of a government shutdown.

"The purpose of the bipartisan Budget Control Act was to move toward serious deficit reduction and provide some consistency to the federal budget so the American people wouldn't be threatened with a government shutdown every few months. It was just one step, but it was an important one.

"If Republicans were serious about debt and deficit reduction they would work with us to protect middle class families, invest in jobs and economic growth, and make sure the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations were paying their fair share. But this budget shows that they are more concerned with appeasing their extreme base than actually working with us to reduce the deficit.

"I urge the House to reject this partisan budget that breaks the bipartisan deal, and work with us to tackle the deficit and debt in a way that doesn't fall solely on the backs of seniors and the middle class."

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