WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after the Trump Administration released its $4.8 trillion budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget:

“President Trump continues to try to mislead the American people and this irresponsible budget is another example of how he says one thing and then does the opposite. 

“President Trump claims he won’t touch Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare.  But his 2021 budget goes after these programs for working Americans, slashing Medicaid alone by nearly $1 trillion.  And clearly President Trump sides with drug companies rather than seniors.  Instead of allowing Medicare to negotiate lower costs for prescription drugs, the Trump Administration will force seniors to pay more out of pocket costs. 

“President Trump’s 2021 budget is far more revealing than last week’s State of the Union address.  I hope Americans pay attention to the bills the President proposes more than what he tweets.  They should take notice that he proposes to gut public education and health insurance in order to build an ineffective border wall.  If you listened to President Trump’s speech last week, you didn’t hear him promise to slash funding for education, Medicaid, children’s health insurance, and affordable housing.  But that is exactly what his 2021 budget would do.  This budget would harm millions of Americans and weaken our nation’s financial well-being.

“President Trump’s toxic budget would take an axe to the EPA, cutting 26.5 percent of the agency’s budget.  That might be a boon for polluters, but it would be a bust for Americans who want safe drinking water and clean air.

“Even as the coronavirus continues to spread and states and hospitals prepare to effectively respond, President Trump wants to cut the budget for Health and Human Services by 9 percent, which could make it much more difficult for NIH and the CDC to combat the spread of infectious diseases.

“I will oppose these destructive cuts to programs that working families depend on.  I will work toward a more balanced and fiscally-responsible approach to fund our government, invest in our future, and ensure all Americans have an opportunity to build a brighter tomorrow.”