Van Hollen, Senate Dems Urge Bipartisan Budget Negotiations & Forgo Partisan Funding Bill That Would Underfund Efforts To Combat the Opioid Epidemic, Security Agencies like the FBI, Cancer Research, Veterans Healthcare, Rural Infrastructure & More
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Senate Democrats today released a new letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging the Republican leaders to continue bipartisan budget negotiations and forgo a proposed partisan funding bill that would underfund efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, security agencies like the FBI, cancer research programs at the NIH, veterans healthcare, rural infrastructure, and more vital domestic programs. The letter, which was signed by 44 Senate Democrats, outlines Democratic opposition to a so-called "CRomnibus," which means a funding bill that provides full-year sequestration relief for military programs but not for other important key domestic programs, resulting in devastating cuts to homeland security agencies like the FBI, cancer research programs at the NIH, and opioid treatment funding at HHS.
The full letter from Senate Democrats can be found below:
Dear Speaker Ryan and Leader McConnell:
We write to express our concern with reports that the House Republican leadership is considering sending partisan legislation to the Senate that would result in funding cuts to important homeland security, veterans, agriculture and health care programs. As you know, Democrats and Republicans are engaged in bipartisan negotiations to craft a budget agreement for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 that would avoid devastating sequestration cuts to defense and domestic programs. We urge you to keep your commitment to the bipartisan budget negotiations and forego any plans to consider partisan legislation known as a "CRomnibus."
According to estimates, domestic programs will see at least $12 billion in cuts in FY2018 due to sequestration and other spending obligations. Therefore, a "CRomnibus," which means a funding bill that provides full-year sequestration relief for military programs but not for other important domestic programs, would result in devastating cuts to homeland security agencies like the FBI, cancer research programs at the NIH, and opioid treatment funding at HHS.
There is a better path - let the bipartisan negotiation continue in good faith so that Democrats and Republicans can produce a budget agreement that fully funds our homeland security, health care, and Veterans' needs. If presented with partisan legislation that leaves these key priorities behind, we will oppose it.
Sincerely,
Senator Charles E. Schumer
Senator Patrick J. Leahy
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Patty Murray
Senator Ron Wyden
Senator Richard J. Durbin
Senator Jack Reed
Senator Bill Nelson
Senator Thomas R. Carper
Senator Debbie Stabenow
Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Robert Menendez
Senator Ben Cardin
Senator Bernard Sanders
Senator Sherrod Brown
Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Senator Jon Tester
Senator Tom Udall
Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Senator Mark R. Warner
Senator Jeff Merkley
Senator Michael F. Bennet
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Senator Al Franken
Senator Christopher A. Coons
Senator Richard Blumenthal
Senator Brian Schatz
Senator Tammy Baldwin
Senator Christopher Murphy
Senator Mazie K. Hirono
Senator Martin Heinrich
Senator Angus S. King, Jr.
Senator Tim Kaine
Senator Elizabeth Warren
Senator Edward J. Markey
Senator Cory A. Booker
Senator Gary C. Peters
Senator Chris Van Hollen
Senator Tammy Duckworth
Senator Maggie Hassan
Senator Kamala D. Harris
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
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