Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, released the following statement Tuesday regarding the release of the House Republican budget for fiscal year 2014:
“Unfortunately, Congressman Paul Ryan and the House Republican leadership’s budget is more of the same political games and fuzzy math that the American people have previously rejected,” Capps said. “It is deeply disappointing that Mr. Ryan and the Republican House leadership have not used this opportunity to reach across the aisle and work together to craft a real budget that bridges our differences and meets the challenges our country faces. Instead, they have chosen to issue a partisan document that seeks to restart the same tired debates that have led to Washington’s incessant gridlock.
“The American people have made it clear over and over that they want us to work together, and I hope in the coming weeks Mr. Ryan and the Republican leadership will heed that call.
“On the merits of the proposal, instead of strengthening critical programs that invest in our future and protect the middle class — investments that save money in the long term and strengthen our communities — this partisan budget pulls the rug out from under our children, working families and senior citizens. And while working families lose out, Mr. Ryan would maintain the same wasteful corporate welfare programs like tax breaks for extraordinarily profitable multinational oil and gas companies. This is not a more fair and responsible tax code.
“This budget once again breaks the promise we have made to our seniors and persons with disabilities by ending Medicare as we know it, reopening the donut hole and leaving millions of our elderly and disabled citizens at the mercy of private insurance companies. For decades, Medicare has improved the quality of life and care for millions of Americans, and dramatically diminished the number of senior citizens in poverty. To be sure, we need to continue to strengthen Medicare to ensure its solvency for decades to come, but ending a system that works and forcing seniors with fixed-incomes to pay more and more of their medical costs isn’t the answer.
“This budget would also cut investments in education, cripple nutrition programs at a time when one in four American children are hungry, and slash health care for seniors in nursing homes, low-income children and Americans with disabilities. None of these program cuts save money. They just pass the buck to already strapped state and local governments.
“Finally, despite Supreme Court rulings upholding Obamacare and an increasing number of Republican governors who have been working to implement the law fairly, the Ryan budget irrationally calls for it to be repealed. Even more, while his budget strips away the law’s protections that hold insurance companies accountable and ensure you can get care when you need it, the budget hypocritically maintains all the savings from the program that he seeks to repeal. You can’t have it both ways.
“I hope that the House will reject this effort and start again.”
— Ashley Schapitl is press secretary for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.
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