Peters Votes Against Ryan Budget to Protect Medicare for Michigan's Seniors & Middle Class Families
Press Release
Today, U.S. Representative Gary Peters voted against the Republican Budget proposed by Budget Chairman Paul Ryan because of his grave concerns over how this budget would end the guaranteed benefit of Medicare and force Michigan's seniors to pay thousands more for their health care.
Peters urged Congress to instead work together to develop bipartisan budget compromises that focus on responsibly reducing the deficit while growing our economy, investing in small businesses and our middle class and protecting Medicare and Social Security.
Peters said, "In order to grow Michigan's and our nation's economy, we need to invest in our middle class and small businesses, responsibly reduce the deficit and ensure that people can retire with dignity. I have serious concerns about the partisan Ryan Budget proposal because it would seriously undermine guaranteed benefits that seniors and middle class families have paid into and earned - all while doling out new tax breaks to special interests like oil companies or companies that outsource good paying jobs."
Peters, the author of the Congressional Oversight to Start Taxpayer Savings (COSTS) Resolution, urged for more accountability in the budget process:
"Middle class families in Michigan and across the country want Washington to face the challenges that they face every day and ensure that there is proper accountability for their hard-earned tax dollars. I am proud to have introduced legislation that would improve accountability in government spending, but too many of today's proposed budgets fall short on this priority. We must come together and find practical, common sense solutions that can help create jobs, responsibly reduce the deficit and still ensure that Medicare is protected for our seniors."
Peters supported a middle class budget introduced by Rep. Van Hollen that preserves Medicare, closes special interest tax loopholes while giving tax breaks to middle class families and invests in education, small businesses and infrastructure. This budget also raises the minimum wage, extends unemployment insurance, supports equal pay for women and invests in veteran's job training.
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