Pingree calls budget bill outrageous and an attack on working families

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Pingree calls budget bill outrageous and an attack on working families
House passes Republican proposal that would slash food stamps, Meals on Wheels while protecting tax breaks for wealthy and big oil companies

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree had strong words for a budget proposal passed by House Republicans today that would slash programs for seniors and working families while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy.

"This bill would mean nearly 230,000 people in Maine would have to try to scrape by onreduced SNAP benefits and 1.7 million seniors around the country would loseaccess to Meals on Wheels, while big oil companies keep getting subsidies and millionaires get tax breaks. This is an outrageous approach to the budget and an attack on working families at the very time moment they are struggling just to stay afloat," Pingree said.

The Budget Reconciliation Bill passed by House Republicans this afternoon is an attempt by Congressional Republicans to undo the Budget Control Act they passed just last year. That law requires equal cuts to Pentagon spending and social programs, but now Republicans are trying to shift all the defense cuts to programs like SNAP benefits (food stamps), health insurance for low income children and funding for breast and cervical cancer screening while tacking on more tax breaks for the wealthy.

"Republican leaders want a do-over on the deal they made last year so they can protect their well-funded friends in the defense industry. If they get their way and back out of their agreement, then millions of women, children and working families will once again pay the price," Pingree said.

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