Barbara Boxer: “I oppose this budget and will vote against it. All of my colleagues should. It sets the wrong priorities. It breaks…”

“I oppose this budget and will vote against it. All of my colleagues should. It sets the wrong priorities. It breaks promises to the American people. And it is the height of fiscal irresponsibility. Let me begin with the priorities. The priorities of the American people are not the priorities of this budget. It is quite clear what the priorities of this budget are: tax cuts for the wealthy. In just one year, this budget provides a tax cut for millionaires totaling $32 billion. Meanwhile, education funding is cut almost $1 billion below the services we are providing now. A total of 48 education programs are eliminated. The promise that was made in the No Child Left Behind Act is broken by $12 billion. We should be increasing our commitment to our children, not cutting it. Veterans programs--for those brave men and women who served our country and are currently serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan-- are cut $500 million. As more and more veterans return to this country, the demands on the VA system will only grow. This budget ignores them. This budget provides no funding for additional police officers on the street, and two major programs to help local law enforcement are eliminated. Medicaid--the health care program for the poor and disabled, a large portion of whom are children--is cut $10 billion. Funding for the Centers for Disease Control--to prevent diseases and to fight outbreaks--is cut 9 percent.…”