“As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will not stand for President Trump’s foolish and shortsighted budget proposal which will make America less healthy, safe, and economically secure. ..."
Congresswoman Pingree Released the Following Statement in Response to President Trump’s Proposed Budget Plan:
“As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will not stand for President Trump’s foolish and shortsighted budget proposal which will make America less healthy, safe, and economically secure. Cutting Meals on Wheels, heating assistance for low-income families, and essential economic stimulus programs that rural states like Maine rely on in order to build a 1.5 billion dollar wall with Mexico shows how out of touch President Trump is with the needs of real Americans. From our families who rely on LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) to our cities and towns that rely on the Economic Development Administration and Community Development Block Grants to bring job creation to Maine, this budget would leave Mainers and Maine communities behind. For those of us who know the impact these domestic cuts will have on the communities we serve, President Trump’s budget proposal is dead on arrival.
Moreover, as a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, I am appalled by President Trump's proposed budget for USDA, which would cripple this agency with a 29 percent cut from the agency's enacted fiscal year 2016 budget. Slashing all discretionary funds from Rural Business and Cooperative Services will only stifle economic development in rural America and harm the very communities that the President claims to support. Farmers in Maine and across the country benefit greatly from Value Added Producer Grants, the Rural Energy for America Program, and military veteran farmer trainings organized by ATTRA. Field office staff are USDA's boots on the ground providing farmers with essential technical assistance and outreach, yet President Trump wants to cut these positions which have an enormous impact in rural communities.”
