Torres Statement on FY18 Budget Proposal
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) issued the following statement on the release of President Trump's Fiscal Year 2018 budget proposal:
"President Trump's budget is an irresponsible and short-sighted vision for America that places the greatest burden on American families and hardworking communities. The Inland Empire communities I represent are in a position to prosper and attract the kind of 21st century jobs we need to keep America competitive. However, they cannot harness that potential if the federal government eliminates $447 million in manufacturing assistance programs that help local companies grow and export their goods, or slashes $100 billion from the Highway Trust Fund that could be used to decrease congestion, or cuts $143 billion in student loan relief just as our most talented young people are struggling to get on their feet, or reduces Medicaid by $880 billion, directly impacting the health and well-being of the 300,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries in the 35th District.
"A budget is a statement of values, and this budget proves that President Trump's values are backwards. Rather than cutting investments in education, affordable housing, medical research, community development, and health care, we should be working to invest in American families by working to create good-paying jobs, grow and diversify our local economies, and fix our crumbling infrastructure. Throwing billions of dollars at defense programs while gutting programs that Americans depend on won't make our country safer, stronger, or more secure. It undermines the very foundation that makes America great."